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Peter Budaj's Mysterious Mask

In the video linked in this thread, an interview with Peter Budaj after his dominant win against the Stars, there is a mask visible behind him on the top shelf of his locker. 

The best screen cap I could get was this:

Budajnewmask_medium

Notice the large, blocky (and very white) number 31 on the chin.  Also notice the shape on the right side of the lower mask (your left), which looks like a big white blob with a very thick burgundy outline.  This design is very different from his current face protector, the "Assassin's Creed" (AC) mask:

Budajfrontmask_medium

The two masks are very clearly different.  The mask on the shelf in the first picture somewhat resembles the old mask Budaj wore for much of last season, a profile shot of which can be seen here.  Notice, however, that while the old mask has white shapes (skeleton hands) on the jaw panels, they do not have thick burgundy outlines.  So the mystery mask on the shelf in his locker is not that one, either.

To further add to the mystery, Budaj wore his AC mask in at least two pre-season games so far this year.  First against the Kings on September 24th, and again against the Stars the next day.

But in the most recent game in which he appeared, October 1st, against the Stars again, Budaj looks to have been wearing something different.  In these horrendously low-quality shots from the Avalanche web site, notice that the mask he's wearing resembles the one in his locker, especially along the jaw line (the white blobs with the burgundy outlines).

Budajnewmask2_medium

Budajnewmask3_medium

While the Avalanche logo on the forehead is very similar to the AC mask, and Ned Flanders is still clearly visible on the back, the side panels are far darker, and the chin area is totally different. Hmm...

Ladies and gentlemen, I'd say Peter Budaj has a new mask!  And in case you are completely blown away by my intense powers of deduction, remember that I am in fact The Batman.

Anybody know for sure, or know where to find better pictures?  Can somebody from the Denver Post or the RMN get a better shot of this for us?  Dater, get on this, STAT!

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Comments

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How many goalies wear two or more masks? I haven’t paid close enough attention but I can’t think of anyone else that wears more than one mask.

InYoFace Phadouche! InYoFace

by InYoFace on Oct 4, 2008 2:03 PM MDT reply reply actions actions   0 recs

Turco wears a black one at home and a white one away.

"To have arrived on this Earth as a product of a biological accident, only to depart through human arrogance, would be the ultimate irony"
R. Leakey, Origins; 1977
"Two roads divurged in a wood, and I took the one less travelled by, and that has made all the difference"
R. Frost

by Savage33 on Oct 4, 2008 6:22 PM MDT to parent up reply reply actions actions   0 recs

From an inside source, I know that on one side of the mask, he has the guy who turns into the Hulk, and on the other side he has the Hulk himself.

Go Avs!

by Mike, (Avs Fan) on Oct 4, 2008 2:31 PM MDT reply reply actions actions   0 recs

A couple of years ago (the season before the RBK Edge nonsense, Luongo had two masks. He wore one when the ’Nucks sore those horrible rainbow orca jerseys and one when they wore the vintage throwbacks.

Most NHL goalies have two masks, from what I understand. You have to have back-up in case something happens during the game to your existing mask and it needs repair or replacement. Most goalies don’t swap back and forth during a season since there is superstition attached to stuff like that.

…he has the guy who turns into the Hulk

That would be Dr. Bruce Banner, inventor of the gamma bomb.

by Mike @ MHH on Oct 4, 2008 3:12 PM MDT reply reply actions actions   0 recs

I figured they had a back-up mask. I was wondering about them alternating or switching masks every few games.

InYoFace Phadouche! InYoFace

by InYoFace on Oct 5, 2008 6:18 PM MDT to parent up reply reply actions actions   0 recs

And here’s a pic:

I don’t have the other side, but it looks pretty sick. Better than the old one imo. Thanks for clearing that up Mike, I knew it was that doctor guy, but too lazy to check what his name was, lol.

Go Avs!

by Mike, (Avs Fan) on Oct 4, 2008 4:07 PM MDT reply reply actions actions   0 recs

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