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Now we find out if the Avalanche can come close to duplicating its home success on the road. It won't be easy with games in Toronto on Tuesday, Boston on Thursday and Washington on Saturday.

The Avalanche was just brutal on the road last season, posting a 4-16-4 record that included regulation losses in the first four games and later a 14-game losing streak (0-11-3) in which the team was outscored 51-26, not counting the goal awarded to Los Angeles in a 3-2 Kings shootout win.

Semyon Varlamov is scheduled to start in goal against the Maple Leafs and against his former team, the Capitals on this trip. He takes a 2-0 record with a 1.00 goals-against average and .968 save percentage into Tuesday's game, which should be quite a challenge; the Leafs are off to a 3-0 start and Varlamov went 1-14-2 on the road last year with a 3.67 average and .887 save percentage.

Jean-Sebastien Giguere will make his season debut against the Bruins. He went 3-2-2 on the road last year with a 2.30 average and .926 save percentage.

The Avalanche can expect a media circus in Toronto, where hockey is king and plenty of the spotlight will be on head coach Patrick Roy and his return to the NHL.

"Maybe," Roy said, "but I would prefer to see our players to be (the center of attention). The reason we are 2-0 is because our players have played very well. Coaches are there to help them and communicate with them and stuff like that, but the players are responsible for the start that we've had and they certainly deserve the credit for being 2-0.

"Now we are facing a team that is 3-0 and obviously we are going to have to play very well. It's going to be fun to see how we respond on the road. Last year on the road wasn't a success. But the guys are competing and they have an open mind on how hard we need to work every day and I hope it's going to carry on in our games."

*****

Matt Duchene accidentally knocked down fellow center Nathan MacKinnon with a hit to the face during Monday morning's practice, but the 18-year-old rookie didn't sustain any serious damage.

Fortunately, Duchene hit MacKinnon with more glove than stick. MacKinnon was shaken but fine and will be in the lineup Tuesday.

*****
Defenseman Ryan Wilson practiced for the second day in a row, but he won't play in Toronto. Free-agent signee Nate Guenin will remain in the lineup after averaging nearly 17 minutes of ice time in the first two games while collecting an assist and a plus-2 plus/minus rating.

Wilson is on injured reserve while recovering from the knee injury he suffered in the Sept. 15 Burgundy and White Game. He's expected to play on this trip. The Avalanche will need to assign a defenseman -- most likely Nick Holden or Matt Hunwick -- to Lake Erie in the American Hockey League in order to activate Wilson and keep the roster at the NHL maximum of 23 players.

Captain Gabriel Landeskog also practiced again after missing Friday's game with a leg injury. He will return to left wing on a line with Paul Stastny and Alex Tanguay.

*****

Roy has nothing but good things to say about right wing Steve Downie, who has provided the Avalanche with offense as well as his usual grating style of play while skating on a line with Duchene and Ryan O'Reilly. Downie has a power-play goal, an assist and 15 penalty minutes -- 10 of them came in Friday's game against Nashville.

"What I like about him now is he's playing hard, but he's also disciplined -- other than that slashing (penalty in the opening minute against the Predators)," Roy said.

Downie has been suspended three times in six NHL seasons and readily acknowledges to playing "on the edge." The Predators thought he went over that edge with his hit against defenseman Roman Josi. Downie was given a charging penalty and Josi suffered a concussion, but NHL director of player safety Brendan Shanahan ruled no further disciplinary action was warranted.

Downie called his hit "borderline" and Roy wasn't certain any penalty should have been called.

"He's played hard every shift of every game," Roy said. "He's consistent and he works hard in the practices, great attitude. I'm very, very happy with him. What I like the most about him is he's under control. Sometimes you want to make sure he doesn't slip away. He's doing a great job. I guess he's getting under the skin of the other team and he brings that energy to our team, which is great."

Downie had two goals and 11 assists in 20 games with Colorado following his Feb. 21, 2012 acquisition from Tampa Bay in a three-way trade with Detroit. The Red Wings wound up with defenseman Kyle Quincey and the Lightning got a first-round draft pick from the Red Wings.

Downie missed time with a shoulder injury at the end of that season and last year sustained a season-ending torn ACL in the second game.

"It's been a long couple of years," he said. "Unfortunately I haven't been able to play as many games as I would have liked. I'm finally seeing a light at the end of the tunnel and settling down here. It's fun playing with Duchie and Factor. We've had a good start, but you can't be satisfied."

Downie's abrasiveness can allow Duchene and O'Reilly more skating room, but it doesn't help when he takes undisciplined penalties.

"I have to keep my feet down and I can't get my elbows up (when making a hit)," he said. "I can't take bad penalties. That's something I have to watch."

Be assured NHL officials -- and Roy -- will be watching him.

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