"Glenn Hall's NHL record of 502 straight games started by a goalie is still safe - Craig Anderson won't play all 82 games this season for the Avalanche.

Backup Peter Budaj will get his first start of the season tonight in Colorado's ninth game, at home against the Carolina Hurricanes.

"I think it's the right time to get Peter in there and it's the right time to give Craig a night off," Avs coach Joe Sacco said. "We've been riding Craig, but everybody here has faith in Peter. He's going to play a great game for us."

Budaj, the starting goalie on opening night the previous two seasons, has tried to stay sharp by working extensively with new Avs goalie coach Jocelyn Thibault. Anderson is likely to return to the net for Saturday's game against Detroit.

"Goose" honored.

The Avs tonight will have their second of 10 "Alumni Nights" and will honor former defenseman Alexei Gusarov.

The enigmatic "Goose" never gave a full interview in his time with the Avalanche from 1995-2000 but was still a favorite with teammates and the media for his wry wit - always feigning not to understand questions from English-speaking reporters, then carrying on conversations in perfect tongue with teammates.

His age, listed now at 45, was always a subject of amusement too.

"Maybe now we'll know the true age," quipped Avs assistant coach Sylvain Lefebvre, who played with Gusarov on Colorado's 1996 Stanley Cup-winning team. "It'll be nice to see him. He was an underrated player for us.""