The Avalanche want goalie Semyon Varlamov to get in one more full practice with the team before activating him from injured reserve, so rookie Calvin Pickard will stay for at least one more game and start Monday night against Montreal at the Pepsi Center.

The plan was to start Varlamov against the Canadiens. He has been sidelined since Nov. 15 while recovering from a groin injury. Perhaps Pickard's strong play convinced the Avalanche to give Varlamov some more time to get back into game shape.

Coach Patrick Roy said Sunday that goalie coach Francois Allaire is coming to Denver and will work with Varlamov on Monday at the morning skate and on Tuesday, a probable off day for the team. Varlamov will get in his second full practice with the team Wednesday and hopefully start Thursday in Calgary. The Avalanche also plays Friday in Winnipeg.

"We'll see from there," Roy said. "We want to be cautious and make sure he's 100 percent before he's playing."

So Pickard, 22, will get his third consecutive start with Reto Berra dressing as the backup. Pickard has a 3-1-0 record in his past four games with a 1.41 goals-against average and .955 save percentage.

"I'm happy for him," Roy said. "He's been playing well. Well deserved. Sometimes you give an opportunity to players and it's up to them to take advantage of it. He's been playing outstanding."

*****

Another game, two more injuries: Centers Marc-Andre Cliche (oblique) and John Mitchell (leg) were hurt Saturday against Dallas and will be out for a while. Cliche could be sidelined for as many as two weeks. Mitchell, who missed the three previous games with a leg injury, re-aggravated it and is expected to miss 7-10 days.

The Avalanche will be calling up two more forwards from Lake Erie in the AHL after communicating with Monsters coach Dean Chynoweth. Roy will continue with his six healthy defensemen.

I've heard Mike Sgarbossa and Colin Smith will be summoned, but nothing official yet. Sgarbossa, 22, has three goals and nine assists in 18 games. Smith, 21, has four goals and eight assists in 18 games. They'd be flying in from Toronto, where the Monsters were playing the Marlies this weekend.

"It's very important for us that when we call up someone from the minors that it supports Dean," Roy said. "As a coach you want to send the right message and you want to call up the guys that deserve to come up. For us, being here and not seeing these guys it is important to ask the coach down there. I think that's going to help his cause as well."

Ben Street, who was recalled Nov. 22, hurt his hand Tuesday in Arizona and will be examined by a hand specialist Monday. Street broke his hand in a preseason game and played in four games with the Monsters. Jamie McGinn (back) continues to be evaluated by team doctors and might need surgery, which would end his season. Brad Stuart (hamstring) might be available by mid-December.

There's no timetable for Patrick Bordeleau (back surgery), Dennis Everberg (shoulder) and Jesse Winchester (concussion), all of whom took part in an optional skate Sunday with Street, Tomas Vincour (he's healthy) and Varlamov. Ryan Wilson, of course, has undergone season-ending shoulder surgery.

Roy joked about the number of players the Avalanche have had to call up from Lake Erie when assistant general manager Craig Billington said he wanted to go to Cleveland to check out their players.

"I said you don't have to go to Cleveland, just watch us tomorrow night," Roy said. "But you know what? I'm very proud of our team. Our guys haven't looked for excuses, our guys have been working hard, they're playing hard. I talked to Dean after we sent back (Karl) Stollery and (Paul) Carey. I told him how proud I am of his work because when you're calling up these guys, the way they've been playing, the way Pickard has been playing, the fact that we were talking a lot to each other and we use the same system ... the guys can come here and fit in without having a practice. That helps a lot."'



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