The AHL and IHL are littered with players more skilled than Colorado C/RW Dan Hinote. Most are bigger. Some are faster. And a bunch handle the puck with a lot more skill. The reason that Hinote (a ninth round pick in 1996) is playing for the Western Conference title with the Avs and those other guys are still in the minors is simply this: Hinote understands his strengths and weaknesses and is willing to accept his role with the team. Of course, it doesn't hurt that Hinote's biggest strength is the size of his heart.

In Colorado's 4-2 win over St. Louis in Game 2 on Monday night, Hinote received just 9:12 of ice time. He skated 19 shifts, which, on average, lasted less than 30 seconds per. Only two players on the Avs' bench recorded less ice time than Hinote -- LW Chris Dingman and D Martin Skoula.

Hinote, very generously listed at 6'0", 198 pounds in the Avs media guide, made the most of his limited ice time. In the role of pest/agitator, he drew a pair of penalties which proved key in the victory that gave the Avalanche a 2-0 series lead.

In the first period, off a draw in the Blues' zone, Hinote drove to the front of the net to screen goalie Roman Turek. As he set up in front, he was hammered from behind by St. Louis D Al MacInnis, who was sent to the box for interference. On the ensuing power play, the Avs, who have suddenly found their PP touch, wasted little time scoring the game's first goal. (And, remember, in these playoffs, the team scoring the first goal is 63-21.) It took them just four seconds. Alex Tanguay cleanly beat St. Louis faceoff whiz Mike Eastwood in the left wing circle. The puck went directly back to Rob Blake on the left point. Blake slid a soft pass across to fellow point man Ray Bourque, who one-timed a bullet off the far post and past Turek.

On the bench, Hinote smiled.

In the second period, after the Blues tied the game at 1 and had gained some momentum, Hinote struck again. On a seemingly innocent dump-in, Hinote hustled into the Blues' zone after the loose puck. St. Louis winger Dallas Drake attempted to impede Hinote, who was moving with good speed toward the back boards. Drake put the stick into Hinote, knocking him to the ice. Quickly, the referee Mick McGeough blew the whistle and assessed a two-minute minor for interference.

The Avs didn't score on this PP, but they did seem to regain the territorial edge. Two minutes after the PP ended -- and with less than two minutes left in the second period -- Colorado grabbed the lead when Adam Foote's point shot deflected off Blues' D Bryce Salvador and into the net.

As the game wound down, Hinote had one final moment to feel proud of. Clinging to a 3-2 lead in the final minutes, Avs coach Bob Hartley sent Hinote out for one last shift. The fact that Hartley, who has a host of All-Stars from which to choose, opted to send Hinote onto the ice at that critical time says a ton about how he feels about the player.

Hinote didn't do anything spectacular on that shift. He just did his job. It was just another quiet contribution -- the kind you need in the playoffs. The Blues didn't score and the Avs held onto the win, adding an empty-netter by Chris Drury, another overachiever.

Yes, there are bigger and faster and more skilled players than Hinote. But, on this team, in this role, Hinote fits just right. And, if he keeps doing his job -- playing his role -- maybe he'll get his name on the Stanley Cup.

E.J. Hradek covers hockey for ESPN The Magazine. E-mail him at ej.hradek@espnmag.com.