ALTDEV AND SPD RESTR NOT MADE AT SYLVR INTXN BY A B737- 400 FLC ON DSCNT INTO THE DEN AREA.

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ASSIGNED SYLVR AT FL190 AND 250 KTS. CAPT IS FLYING. I ENTERED 250/190 ON FMC. CAPT LATER TOLD ME HE HAD HEARD THE INSTRUCTIONS AS SAYGE AT FL190 AND NO SPD RESTR. HE SAID (AFTER THE FACT) THAT HE THOUGHT I WAS BEING CONSERVATIVE ENTERING THE RESTR AT SYLVR INSTEAD OF SAYGE (WHICH IS PAST SYLVR) AND DIDN'T SAY ANYTHING. 3 MI FROM SYLVR I REALIZED WE WERE TOO HIGH AND FAST FOR RESTR (APPROX FL205; 290 KTS) AND THAT'S WHEN HE SAID 'THE RESTR WAS AT SAYGE; NOT SYLVR -- WE'RE OK.' I MAY BE WRONG; BUT I DON'T THINK SO -- ATC NEVER SAID ANYTHING. I THEN TOLD HIM '250 KTS ASSIGNED' AND HE SAID HE DID NOT RECALL THAT RESTR (SPD NOW +/-310 KTS). SHORTLY THEREAFTER; ATC INSTRUCTED US TO SLOW DOWN FOR SPACING. I'M 100% SURE THE RESTR WAS AS I ENTERED AND CONFIRMED WITH CAPT. HE STILL FEELS THAT IT WAS THE OTHER WAY. AS WE APCHED SYLVR WE WERE DOING OUR PRELIMINARIES FOR ARR - - ATIS; IN RANGE CALLS; CHKLISTS; ETC. I ALLOWED ALL THESE THINGS TO DISTRACT ME FROM MONITORING OUR PROGRESS ON THE RESTR. IF I HAD CAUGHT IT EARLIER; AT LEAST WE WOULD HAVE HAD TIME TO RECONFIRM WITH ATC. ALSO; CAPT SHOULD HAVE AT LEAST INDICATED THAT HE HEARD DIFFERENTLY AND WAS PLANNING FOR THAT. AGAIN; THERE WOULD HAVE BEEN ENOUGH TIME TO RECONFIRM WITH ATC. THIS EXPERIENCE I FIND SO ODD BECAUSE THIS PARTICULAR CAPT IS VERY SHARP IN MY OPINION. THE WHOLE TRIP HAS BEEN FLOWN WITH STRICT ADHERENCE TO POLICIES/PROCS; ETC. IT SURPRISES ME THAT HE DIDN'T STATE THAT HE HEARD DIFFERENTLY.