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.
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