"In a sport where profanity is the unofficial language, where "eye for an eye, tooth for a tooth" can be taken a little too literally, staying grounded in his deep Christian faith might seem difficult for a guy like the Avs' Peter Budaj. But the goalie has never been shy about expressing his faith with the team.

He often leads the way in prayer meetings with Avs teammates as part of newly created chapel services.

"We have a few guys doing it right now. In the midst of everything, it's good to slow down sometimes and have a little reflection," Budaj said. "Because life as a professional athlete can be very slippery. It doesn't matter, your good looks, your good body, your nice clothes, your big house. It's all temporary, it's all going to go away. A hundred and fifty years from now, nobody will care about that. But what's inside you, that's what lasts, and that's why I believe Jesus Christ is my savior."

Budaj, 28, is one of about 20 NHL players involved with Hockey Ministries International, a Montreal-based organization that serves the spiritual needs of players, coaches and their families. Other notable NHL players involved include Florida's David Booth, Carolina's Eric Staal and Pittsburgh's Mike Rupp.

Budaj has a little less time to devote to Hockey Ministries these days, as he got married last year to Taylor, a Parker resident he met through a mutual friend. The couple welcomed their first child, Peter Jr., to the world in July.

"I thank God for the baby every day, for the family. It's humbling," Budaj said. "It's hard to imagine sometimes. I'm very fortunate.""