Sports: Sakic is anything but a regular Joe

Sakic is anything but a regular Joe

By DAMIAN CRISTODERO

DENVER -- Joe Sakic wants it both ways.

He keeps doing magical things on the ice that make him stand out from the crowd. But the Avalanche captain desperately wants to be just one of the guys.

So when the media pressed him for superlatives to describe his superior effort in Game 1 of the Stanley Cup final, Sakic, who had two goals and an assist in Colorado's 5-0 decimation of the Devils, stayed mellow.

"Got some good breaks and some good goals, and the game turned out like that," he said after Sunday's practice at the Pepsi Center.

Sakic is not one of the guys. The 31-year-old is a sure bet to be named league MVP. He has elevated his game to compensate for the absence of Peter Forsberg, who had his spleen removed after the Western Conference semifinals, and his play has set him up to be this summer's most expensive unrestricted free agent.

Yet he goes about his business quietly. Of the chance he may be with another team next season, he said, "We are not going to worry about that until the end of the year."

Of his goal that included a schoolyard move that left Devils defenseman Scott Stevens on the ice and goaltender Martin Brodeur looking for the puck, he said, "You use your quickness. You want to get your shot away as quickly as possible. Most goalies can stop what they see, but if you get it away quick, you don't have to pick a spot or anything. You want to try to catch him off-guard."

"He winds up and comes from behind with a lot of speed," Stevens said. "They put pucks in areas for him to skate into. We'll look through the game tapes and come up with a game plan. We'll make changes."

It's all academic for Sakic, who has 11 goals and nine assists in the playoffs after getting 54 and 64 in the regular season. You study film to find your opponent's weaknesses. Against the Devils, the best transition team in the game, you don't turn the puck over in the neutral zone.

Sakic leaves the superlatives to others.

"Joe Sakic is not the loudest guy around the locker room, but he brings his performances on the ice. And that's where it counts," Colorado coach Bob Hartley said. "Joe Sakic is a very simple man. He loves to play this game."

PICKING UP THE SLACK: In the 10 playoff games Forsberg has missed in his seven-year career, Sakic has seven goals and nine assists, and the Avalanche is 9-1.

McKAY OUT: Devils coach Larry Robinson said right wing Randy McKay likely is out for the series with a fractured left hand sustained on a check by Ray Bourque. Robinson said McKay's place on Bobby Holik's second line could be taken by Bob Corkum. Corkum was scratched Saturday, but the 33-year-old center should give the Devils help on faceoffs. New Jersey lost 38 of 72 draws in Game 1.

IS BLAKE HURT?: No one was buying Hartley's explanation that defenseman Rob Blake sat out the last eight minutes of Saturday night's game because he was too emotional to play.

Blake denied he was hurt, and Hartley said, "I can assure you, you are going to see a lot of Rob Blake in Game 2."

CHECK IT OUT: If Saturday's third period was any indication, Tuesday's game could be rough. The teams combined for 46 penalty minutes, with New Jersey's Sean O'Donnell getting 19 (two for roughing, two for instigating, five for fighting and a 10-minute misconduct) for an altercation with Chris Dingman.

Robinson wouldn't mind a more physical New Jersey presence.

"Other than in the third period, I don't think (Blake) or (Bourque) or (Adam Foote) got hit all night," he said. "And Joe (Sakic) could have worn eggs in his pants. He never got hit as well."

RIGHT PLACE, RIGHT TIME: Had Dan Hinote's family not moved to Elk River, Minn., when he was 2 years old, his athletic career would have taken a different turn.

"I probably would have played football or basketball," said the Avalanche forward, a native of Leesburg. "It's something how those little decisions will change your life."

Hinote played a major part in Colorado's victory, getting an assist and a team-high four hits in 9:45 of ice time.

He also goaded New Jersey's Colin White into a third-period roughing penalty that wiped out a potential Devils power play.

"I don't remember," Hinote said when asked what he said to White. "I'm just trying to play my game. If they get a little bit upset, it's perfect because they're not worrying about Joe or Milan (Hejduk), and that's what we're looking for."

The 6-foot, 190-pound rookie didn't handle every aspect of his first Stanley Cup game with such flair. Of his nerves before the game, he said, "I thought I might puke."

RECORD WATCH: Colorado goaltender Patrick Roy has won nine consecutive Stanley Cup games. The record is 11, set by Montreal's Ken Dryden.