Brunette makes plenty of noise with quiet goals

Andy King, Associated Press

Colorado Avalanche wing Andrew Brunette, left, has scored the first goal in each of the past three games.

The ex-Wild forward led Colorado in goals this series, making the gritty plays and leaving the pretty play to others.

By MICHAEL KELLY, Special to the Star Tribune

Last update: April 20, 2008 - 12:26 AM

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DENVER - Andrew Brunette wasn't supposed to be leading the Avalanche in postseason goals against the Wild.

With guys such as Joe Sakic, Peter Forsberg and Paul Stastny on the roster, Brunette's three goals in six games led Colorado in its first-round series victory, which ended when the Avs beat the Wild 2-1 Saturday night.

It wasn't a mistake, and his teammates are the least surprised by his stats.

"He's one of the guys that goes unnoticed, but he's a tremendous player," said rookie David Jones, who has played on Brunette's line this year. "Behind the net, if you give him the puck he's an incredible playmaker. He's got a great sense, an instinct, in front of the net to find the puck and bury it."

That's what he has done to the Wild in this series. Brunette scored the first goal of Games 3, 4 and 5 for Colorado against his old team.

"It's huge to get the first goal, especially against them because they play so well when they have the lead," Sakic said.

Said coach Joel Quenneville: "He's probably one of the more underrated offensive guys in the league. Bruno's got great patience with the puck. He really sees the ice well."

After playing for the Wild for three years, Brunette signed with Colorado after the lockout and has had three good offensive seasons. He has been solid in the playoffs, too, with 14 goals and 17 assists in 39 career postseason games. He has continued to produce at age 34, and he has played in 453 consecutive games, the longest active streak in the NHL.

Brunette has played every game for the past five seasons despite playing around the net, where he says he measures his effectiveness.

"If I'm winning the battles along the boards or behind the net is usually when I feel I'm playing my best," he said. "When I'm not playing that well, I'm not around it that often."

He has been effective in this series despite playing against his former team and players, a matchup he admits has been tough for him. Brunette still has ties to Minnesota, where he spends time every offseason.

Even though it has been hard facing the Wild, Brunette said he has been able to shove his personal feelings aside during this series.

"When the puck drops, everything changes. It ends up being hockey," Brunette said. "We're all chasing the same thing, and it's just another team, another step to keep playing."

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