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Roy: Avs too focused on Iginla’s 600th goal in ugly loss to Flames

Avalanche Canucks Hockey

Colorado Avalanche defenseman Brad Stuart (17) celebrates Jarome Iginla’s goal past Vancouver Canucks goalie Eddie Lack, left, as Canucks defenseman Luca Sbisa (5) watches during the second period of an NHL hockey game Thursday, March 26, 2015, in Vancouver, British Columbia. (AP Photo/The Canadian Press, Jonathan Hayward)

AP

The Colorado Avalanche had a tough go on Saturday.

They lost at home, 4-0, to the Calgary Flames. They had one shot on goal in the third period.

And head coach Patrick Roy thinks he knows what the culprit might’ve been.

“I guess we focused more in seeing Iggy score that 600th than playing our game,” Roy told the Denver Post, alluding to Jarome Iginla being stuck on career goal No. 599. “We had a few good chances and we tried to pass the puck to him instead of bringing it to the net.

“For example, [Alex] Tanguay is all alone in front of the net and he’s trying a [little] pass to Iggy.”

It’s certainly an interesting approach from Roy.

One could suggest he’s trying to mask his team’s struggles at the Pepsi Center this season -- the Avs are 6-9-3 at home -- and, to be fair, Iginla did say much of the same following the Calgary loss, explaining that he doesn’t “want the attention” on him as he chases the milestone, adding the Avs have talked about the situation.

There’s also the not-so-small fact Colorado was playing the Flames, the team where Iginla spent 16 years and emerged as one of the league’s best goalscorers.

The Avs have played three games with Iginla at 599 goals, and had decidedly different results in the previous two -- a 6-3 win in San Jose on the Dec. 28, and a 4-3 OT loss to the defending Stanley Cup Champion Blackhawks on New Year’s Eve.

So maybe Roy saw a trend in the wrong direction, and wanted to take care of it immediately.

“We’re going to have to refocus,” he said. “It’s not that I don’t want to see Iggy scoring his 600th, but we need to play our games here. Our focus was not as good.

“Is it because of it? I don’t know.”