Brian Boucher: 130 Saves, And Counting

If you had to pick a goaltender to re-write a 54-year-old record this season, Brian Boucher probably wouldn't have been the guy. But on Friday night, the Phoenix goaltender extended his incredible shutout streak to five straight games and over 325 minutes, as the Coyotes defeated Minnesota 2-0. That breaks the old record, set by Bill Durnan of the Montreal Canadiens in 1949.

Update - Jan. 11: The Boucher streak has ended on a goal in the first period of tonight's game against Atlanta.

The Thrashers were on a power play when a slap shot by Randy Robitaille ended the longest shutout run in NHL history. The shot hit Coyotes' defenseman David Tanabe and deflected in. Boucher finished the game with 20 saves, as the Thrashers and Coyotes played to a 1-1 tie.

Boucher's stretch of perfect goaltending totalled 332 minutes, 1 second and 146 consecutive saves. Durnan's record had been 309:21.

"I don't think it would have hit the net if it didn't hit me," Tanabe told reporters, when asked about the Atlanta goal. "If it wasn't for that bounce, he could have had another shutout."

"He was in such a zone right now, you knew it was going to be a broken play," added Coyotes' coach Bob Francis.

Boucher himself had the best perspective on the streak and the way it ended. "A fluky goal," he said. "That's how easily a goal can go in. The fact that it didn't happen for five-plus games is pretty amazing."