"We can't take a period off. I thought in the first period we were pretty good and in the second we didn't stick to our game plan," said Drew Doughty, who said the puck bounced off his foot and to Smyth on that goal but that he still should have taken his man out of the play.

Budaj didn't inspire much confidence early on, allowing a short-sided, tough angle shot by Oscar Moller through the 5-hole.

Fortunately for Colorado, Jason LaBarbera was no better in the other net. After Smyth tied it 1-1 in the first, converting a great pass from Stastny through traffic, LaBarbera allowed two stoppable goals to Hejduk and David Jones in the second period.