The Avalanche will face former goalie
Semyon Varlamov and the New York Islanders on Wednesday at the Pepsi Center when they try to end a three-game (0-2-1) losing streak.
GAME NOTES
Varlamov has played well for the Islanders since leaving Colorado as a free agent, posting a 17-11-4 record, 2.53 goals-against average and .918 save percentage. He made 31 saves in a 1-0 win against the Avalanche on Jan. 6 at Nassau Veterans Memorial Coliseum.
Varlamov spent eight seasons with Colorado and ranks second to
Patrick Roy in franchise history for games played among goalies (389), wins (183) and shutouts (21). He made 31 saves in a 1-0 win against the Avalanche on Jan. 6 at Nassau Veterans Memorial Coliseum.
“I was there eight great years, it became home for me,” Varlamov told
New York Newsday. “I have a lot of friends there. Of course, it will bring a lot of memories.”
Forward
Derick Brassard also returns after signing with the Islanders on Aug. 21. He spent the final 20 games with Colorado last season and had four goals. He has 29 points (10 goals, 19 assists) in 58 games this season.
Varlamov signed a four-year, $20 million contract with the Islanders after losing his No. 1 job to
Philipp Grubauer late last season.
Pavel Francouz, who spent last year with the Colorado Eagles, signed a one-year, $950,000 contract in May to be Grubauer’s backup. Francouz is the starter now that Grubauer is out with a lower-body injury.
“Varly held this team together for a long time even when we weren’t a very good hockey team,” Avalanche captain
Gabriel Landeskog said after the morning skate. “ He stood on his head a lot of nights to get us two points. We never made it easy on him. He was always the hardest-working guy at the rink, the hardest-working guy on the ice, and he was always a guy who never really complained. He went about his business and was a guy who never really got the credit.
“Varly’s a guy who’s got ice in his veins and doesn’t really get too worked up whether it’s good or bad or whatever it might be. He’s sort of even keel and goes about his business, works hard and tries to stop that next shot. A great teammate and a good friend.
“I don’t think many guys will chirp Varly. I’ll stand in front him, though, and screen him as much as I can. I’m sure I’ll feel his stick in the back of my legs. He’s a guy that you have to take away his eyes to score on him.”
Martin Kaut will make his NHL debut after being recalled from the Eagles. The Avalanche’s first-round pick (No. 16) in the 2018 NHL draft, he will play right wing on a line with
Matt Nieto and
Pierre-Edouard Bellemare.
The lineup:
FORWARDS
Gabriel Landeskog -- Nathan MacKinnon – Andre Burakovsky
Valeri Nichushkin -- J.T. Compher -- Joonas Donskoi
Matt Nieto -- Pierre-Edouard Bellemare -- Martin Kaut
T.J. Tynan -- Tyson Jost -- Vladislav Kamenev
DEFENSE
Ryan Graves -- Cale Makar
Samuel Girard -- Erik Johnson
Nikita Zadorov -- Ian Cole
GOALIES
Pavel Francouz
Hunter Miska
Colorado Avalanche Blogger •Avalanche Insider • 
Join the Discussion:
»