As expected, Alexander Kerfoot returns to the lineup Wednesday when the Avalanche face Montreal at the Pepsi Center.
The GAME NOTES.
Kerfoot, who missed four games with an upper-body injury, will center the fourth line with Gabriel Bourque and Colin Wilson. He eventually could move up the pecking order. Sheldon Dries is the healthy scratch.
Philipp Grubauer will start in goal. While he’s gone 7-0-3 in his past 10 starts, his season numbers are not impressive: 3.22 goals-against average and .897 save percentage.
It hasn’t all been his fault. The Avalanche, especially lately, haven’t been very good in front of him or slumping Semyon Varlamov and special teams play has been awful.
The Avalanche allowed 25 goals in the past five games while going 1-3-1 and they’ve given up 33 goals in the past seven games, going 2-4-1.
They are 6-for-23 on power plays, which is just fine but they’ve also been burned for a couple of shorthanded goals. They’ve allowed at least one power-play goal in six of the past seven games, permitting nine goals in 24 shorthanded situations.
The Canadiens could be licking their chops at the prospect of getting their power play untracked; they’re 0-for-25 in the past eight games.
Also, Canadiens goalie Carey Price needs one win for 300 in his career.
*****
Defense prospect Conor Timmins skated again Wednesday morning and coach Jared Bednar said he will continue to do so until the Christmas break (Dec. 24-26).
Timmins, who is recovering from post-concussion symptoms, will go home for the break, after which the Avalanche will decide on his immediate future. If all goes well, he could head to the AHL Colorado Eagles.
The lineup:
Gabriel Landeskog -- Nathan MacKinnon -- Mikko Rantanen Tyson Jost – J.T. Compher – Sven Andrighetto Matt Nieto -- Carl Soderberg -- Matt Calvert Gabriel Bourque – Alexander Kerfoot -- Colin Wilson
Samuel Girard -- Erik Johnson Ian Cole – Tyson Barrie Nikita Zadorov – Patrik Nemeth
Philipp Grubauer Semyon Varlamov