Semyon Varlamov will start and Jonathan Bernier will be the backup Friday when the Avalanche play Chicago at the Pepsi Center.
The GAME NOTES.
Varlamov and Bernier missed Wednesday's 2-1 loss to Philadelphia when Andrew Hammond had 31 saves. Varlamov was ill and Bernier was getting over an infected cut on his hand. Spencer Martin, the backup for that game, has been reassigned to San Antonio of the AHL.
The Avalanche will need some help, but they could leap from ninth in the Western Conference to the first wildcard playoff position with a win against the Blackhawks.
They are one point behind St. Louis and Anaheim, which have the first and second wild cards, respectively. The Blues play in Vegas and the Ducks are home against Los Angeles.
So the Avalanche are still in the race despite losing three of the past four games (1-3-0), scoring one goal in each game (can't count Gabriel Landeskog's shootout goal in the win against Vegas last Saturday).
The Avalanche are 1-for-13 on power plays in the four games.
Coach Jared Bednar said they've been too stagnant when it comes to puck movement.
"That's a key for our power play, the crispness and moving it ahead of pressure, not standing still with the puck," he said after the morning skate. "I think we were a little stale last game on the power play. It's been creeping into our game the last handful of games. Five-on-five we've been pretty good."
The Landeskog-Nathan MacKinnon-Mikko Rantanen line has accounted for 28 shots in the past three games and no points. The unit has been carrying the Avalanche all season and will need to create some goals in the final five games if they are going to make the playoffs.
The Avalanche hit the road for critical games against Anaheim, Los Angeles and San Jose after Friday's game, and close out the regular season a week from Saturday with St. Louis at home.
"We're in a race and every single point matters," said Sven Andrighetto, who will replace Dominic Toninato in the lineup after missing three games with a lower-body injury. "Every single game is bigger than the (previous) one. It's exciting."
Mark Barberio and Colin Wilson, both out with lower-body injuries, skated Friday morning while wearing non-contact jerseys.
The Avalanche lineup:
Gabriel Landeskog -- Nathan MacKinnon -- Mikko Rantanen Tyson Jost -- Alexander Kerfoot -- Sven Andrighetto Matt Nieto -- Carl Soderberg -- Blake Comeau Gabriel Bourque -- J.T. Compher -- Nail Yakupov
Patrik Nemeth -- Erik Johnson Nikita Zadorov -- Tyson Barrie Samuel Girard -- Mark Alt
Semyon Varlamov Jonathan Bernier