Hinote returns to Pepsi Center

 

Stephine Chavez (HV)

 

Dan Hinote and his new team the St. Louis Blues played at Pepsi Center in Denver for the first time this season on Wednesday, December 13, 2006. Dan was happy to be back and was hopeful to get a goal against his former team but that would not happen as Peter Budaj was again phenomenal in the net for Colorado. For the second win in a row, Budaj made 25 stops against the Blues. Goaltender Jason Bacashihua of St.Louis made 41 saves, and Marek Schwarz had one stop when he played briefly in the second period. Schwarz came in at 15:10 after Hejduk's goal and Bacashihua returned 2:17 later. When St.Louis Head Coach Andy Murray was questioned about why he pulled Bacashihua out of net he stated, "I pulled him to allow him to refocus and give our team a break. I wanted to indicate to him that I wasn't faulting him and told him he would go in there and we would play harder for him." The Avs would go on to beat the Blues 4-1 giving the Blues their ninth straight loss. Karlis Skrastins recorded his first point of the season by assisting Milan Hejduk's goal at 15:10 in the first period.

 

 

Photo: Dan Hinote © Stephine Chavez (HV)