Four games doesn't make a season, but Tyson Barrie and new defense partner Patrik Nemeth have complemented each other quite well up to now.

The 5-feet-10, 190-pound Barrie takes care of the offense and the 6-3, 219-pound Nemeth is more of a stay-at-home type, though he already has three assists, matching his 40-game total last season with Dallas.

Claimed off waivers from the Stars on Oct. 3, Nemeth is a plus-7 while averaging 18:48 in ice time and allowing Barrie to concentrate more on his offensive duties.

"We seem to have some chemistry," Barrie said after practice Thursday. Barrie is logging 22:57, has a goal, two assists, is plus-2 and has taken a team-high 17 shots.

"He's a more defensive guy, looking to get me the puck as much as he can, but he can still make plays. He likes going back for pucks. We're working well off each other right now."

Nemeth, 25, was Dallas' second-round pick (No. 41) in the 2010 NHL draft, but he never could crack the Stars lineup on a regular basis. He played in 108 games with them in parts of four seasons and had 14 assists and 40 penalty minutes.

"We kind of play like Dallas a little bit in certain ways and guys have been helping me out a lot, so it's been pretty good," said Nemeth, who has one shot on goal in each of the past two games. "For me, to make life easier for Tyson and to try and get him the puck and defend, that's kind of my job here. If points come, they're great; if not, I hope Tyson gets the points."

Nemeth said he was one of "three or four guys" expecting the Stars to make personnel moves before the season opened.

"I tried not to think about it, but I kind of knew that I was in the danger zone to get moved," he said. "Here I am."

The results have been good so far.

"Different strengths, which is one of the reasons we put them together," coach Jared Bednar said. "Patrik Nemeth has come in and he's been a heavy, solid defender. We were hoping he would be a guy that could stabilize our back end with some experience, heaviness, defending first type mentality.

"He's been able to move the puck efficiently, and I think that's the type of player for Tyson. It gives him a little comfort back there to know that he's got a guy like that, and he can get up and go a little bit, which we need him to do."

Bednar said the Avalanche and Stars play similar systems, making the adjustment period easier for Nemeth.

"Brushing him up on our system ... most of it was familiar to him," Bednar said. "There's a few different things in the way we teach things and the way they do things, but it's been a relatively easy transition for him. He's made the most of his ice time, he's been really good."

*****

Speaking of chemistry, the Alexander Kerfoot-Matt Duchene-Nail Yakupov line has combined for six goals and six assists in four games.

“It’s great, I like it and I think as a line, we are enjoying playing with each other," said Yakupov, who has three goals and two assists. "It's working well right now."

Kerfoot was credited with his first NHL goal in the first period when he skated to the net and had Barrie's shot hit him and bounce behind goalie Tuukka Rask.

"It obviously is a great feeling," he said. "I mean, it's a dream to play in the NHL, and to get a goal is pretty special. I was driving to the net and it was lucky that it banked off me. I scored two in preseason and one of them went off my body too. So two of the three goals so far haven't touched my stick."

*****

A sore left knee prevented rookie Tyson Jost from practicing, and Bednar didn't know if he would be able to play Friday against Anaheim at the Pepsi Center.

Jost needed help to get off the ice Wednesday at 11:53 of the second period in the Avalanche's 6-3 win against Boston. It didn't look good after he was cross-checked by Bruins defenseman Adam McQuaid, but he managed to return in the third period and scored an empty-net goal.

Colin Wilson moved up to the third line at practice with Gabriel Landeskog and J.T. Compher. If Jost can't go, Matt Nieto returns to the fourth line.

*****

Jonathan Bernier will start in goal against the Ducks, and Semyon Varlamov will get the net Saturday in Dallas.

Bernier signed a one-year, $2.75 million contract with the Avalanche on July 1 after becoming an unrestricted free agent. He went 21-7-4 in 39 games with Anaheim last season with a 2.50 goals-against average and .915 save percentage. He was 1-2 in the playoffs with a 3.28 goals-against average.

He's 6-2-1 in nine career games against the Ducks with a 1.91 goals-against average and .935 save percentage.



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