The Avalanche need to get off to a decent start for the first time in a while when they take on Toronto at the Pepsi Center on Friday in the second game of a six-game homestand that began with a 3-1 loss to Arizona on Wednesday.
Here are the GAME NOTES.
It looks like former Avalanche goalie Calvin Pickard, who remains popular with Colorado fans, will start for the Leafs. He was recalled from the Toronto Marlies of the AHL because Leafs backup Curtis McElhinney has a lower-body injury. Frederik Andersen played Thursday in the Leafs' 7-4 win in Arizona.
Pickard had a 10-5-0 record with a 2.20 goals-against average and .919 save percentage with the Marlies.
"One of the keys against this team for us tonight, offensively they're hungry around the net, they get a lot of chances in tight, in prime scoring areas," coach Jared Bednar said after the morning skate. "Owning that area of the ice in our end, making sure we're sealing out, clearing pucks and being hard to play against down there is important.
"On the flip side of things, that's an area we have to try and expose. We have to get to the interior of the ice with the puck, we have to shoot a lot of pucks and we have to get traffic down there and pick up some rebounds and get second chances.
"Whether that's 'Pick' or somebody else, it's the same game plan for us."
The only lineup change for the Avalanche: forward Gabriel Bourque, a healthy scratch the past five games, will replace Nail Yakupov.
Semyon Varlamov will make his fifth consecutive start. He's allowed 10 goals in his past five games while posting a 3-1-1 record.
"We definitely need a good start," Nathan MacKinnon said. "When a team is playing back-to-back you want to come out fast. Maybe they'll be a little tired from travel or whatever the case may be, but it's up to us to play well if we're going to get the win tonight."
The lineup:
FORWARDS Gabriel Landeskog -- Nathan MacKinnon -- Mikko Rantanen Alexander Kerfoot -- J.T. Compher -- Colin Wilson Matt Nieto -- Carl Soderberg -- Blake Comeau Sven Andrighetto -- Tyson Jost -- Gabriel Bourque
DEFENSE Nikita Zadorov -- Erik Johnson Patrik Nemeth -- Mark Barberio Samuel Girard -- Anton Lindholm
GOALIES Semyon Varlamov Jonathan Bernier