Hartley Is Playing Games

As if Colorado’s eight goals Saturday night didn’t do enough to undermine Evgeni Nabokov’s confidence, Avalanche Coach Bob Hartley is trying to do his part as well.

The San Jose Sharks returned home Sunday after two tough Western Conference semifinal games in Denver. They emerged with one victory and dozens of questions about their ability to compete with the defending Stanley Cup champions, as well the toughness of Nabokov, their talented young goalie.

Game 3 is tonight in San Jose, where the Sharks will attempt to recapture the confidence they gained in a 6-3 Game 1 victory--and then lacked in an 8-2 loss Saturday that snapped a four-game winning streak and forced Coach Darryl Sutter to pull Nabokov in the third period.

Hartley stirred the pot by suggesting that Sutter might start backup Miikka Kiprusoff.

“Darryl has all day to make up his mind,” Hartley said. “It will be interesting to see how Nabokov will react if he gets the start. It’s always tough for any goalie to come back after a bad performance.

“The last thing that a young goalie wants to have is a bad game, especially in the playoffs where they are going home. It could be an interesting start.”

Sutter wouldn’t respond directly to Hartley’s statements.

“I think it’s great that their coaching staff is now making some of our decisions,” Sutter said. “That takes some work off of me.”

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Veteran Jyrki Lumme is out of the playoffs indefinitely because of a concussion, depleting the Toronto Maple Leafs’ defense.

Maple Leaf Coach Pat Quinn also said that Lumme has an injury to his upper body, but wouldn’t specify further. Lumme sat out four games late in the regular season with a shoulder injury.

Lumme was hurt when he was checked hard into the boards by Ottawa’s Chris Neil in the first period of Game 2 of the Eastern Conference semifinals Saturday.