Rookie stops Avs

ANAHEIM, Calif. – Ilya Bryzgalov wasn’t terribly impressed that he tied an NHL rookie record set in 1945.

“It’s not a big deal for me. It’s fun because we won the game,” the Anaheim goalie said Sunday after he blanked Colorado in a 3-0 Mighty Ducks victory for his third straight playoff shutout.

The victory gave Anaheim a 2-0 lead in the Western Conference semifinal that resumes in Colorado on Tuesday night.

Bryzgalov, who made 22 saves, matched the record by Toronto’s Frank McCool (Gonzaga University), who had three postseason shutouts in a row as a rookie against Detroit in 1945.

“I don’t even think he realizes,” Anaheim’s Teemu Selanne said of Bryzgalov’s impressive string. “He’s just a guy who goes out there and has fun and doesn’t take any pressure or anything.”

Selanne grinned and added, “So don’t tell him.”

Bryzgalov hasn’t allowed a goal in 229 minutes, 42 seconds, the longest ever by an NHL rookie in the postseason, and fourth longest for any goalie. George Hainsworth tops the list with a stretch of 270:08 in 1930.

Sharks 2, Oilers 1: At San Jose, Calif., San Jose captain Patrick Marleau scored his eighth goal of the postseason and added an assist on Christian Ehrhoff’s go-ahead goal, leading the Sharks past Edmonton in Game 1 of the second-round series.

Rookie Milan Michalek had two assists and Vesa Toskala stopped 15 shots in his fifth consecutive victory for the Sharks.