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Pavel Francouz Took the Long Road to the NHL—And He's Thriving

The sequence never changes. While his netminding peers might kick back on the crossbar and casually slug from a water bottle, or head to the bench to chat up teammates, Avalanche goalie Pavel Francouz always begins every television timeout with a practiced ritual.

First he skates to his right along the goal line, stopping in line with the faceoff dot and dropping onto his knees in a butterfly position. He sits back, head down, and stretches for a bit. Next he goes through a visualization exercise, shifting his body as he pictures saving invisible shots. When this is done, he rises up, shakes his legs, shrugs his shoulders, works his neck, and takes a few deep breaths.