LOS ANGELES (AFP) — Former Russian national team goalie Ilya Bryzgalov backstopped Phoenix to a shutout victory over Los Angeles just hours after being claimed off waivers from the Anaheim Ducks Saturday.
Bryzgalov, who helped Anaheim win the Stanley Cup last season, stopped all 27 shots as the Coyotes edged the Kings 1-0 at the Glendale Arena.
The 27-year old Bryzgalov wasted no time getting on the good side of his new teammates and Coyotes coach Wayne Gretzky.
"I felt very well," said Bryzgalov, who has a university degree and studies philosophy in his spare time. "Guys playing in front of me played hard and very well. I didn't get too many scoring chances against me.
"I felt a little heavy in the first period because I didn't skate yesterday. After the first period, I was normal."
Said Gretzky, "We're lucky to have him. He's a good player. He's going to get an opportunity to play."
Bryzgalov, of Togliatti, started the first game for Team Russia in the 2006 Turin Olympics but allowed two late goals to Marian Gaborik in a 5-3 loss to Slovakia and did not see any ice for the rest of the Games.
"I knew it was probably going to be a hard day for him because 24 hours ago, he wasn't sure where he was going to go," Gretzky said.
"He gets a call two minutes after 9 am today saying we got him, and five minutes later, he's getting a call from me telling him he's going to play at one o'clock.
"We knew it was going to be an emotional day for him, but he's a nice young man and he played hard.
"The Ducks did him a nice favour getting him a chance to play again. Now he gets an opportunity to make our team better, and it's a good situation for us."
Apparently it also was a good situation for Bryzgalov, who hopes to become the Coyotes No 1 goaltender.
He posted his third career shutout and first of the season by stopping 11 shots in the first period, seven in the second and nine in the third.
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