UPDATE:
Avalanche coach Patrick Roy has made his decision: Reto Berra will start in goal Thursday night when the Avalanche play in Vancouver to conclude their road trip.
Here are the game notes.
The Canucks are in second place in the Pacific Division, three points ahead of third-place Calgary and four in front of Los Angeles, which trails Winnipeg by two points for the second wild card playoff spot in the West.
Roy said before the 4-3 loss in Edmonton on Wednesday that he planned to start Semyon Varlamov in both games of the back-to-back situation. But he said after the game he wasn't sure what he was going to do. He also wasn't about to concede the playoff chase is over.
Until the team is mathematically eliminated, I guess he really can't do that.
The Avalanche didn't have a morning skate Thursday, but the Denver Post reported in the afternoon that Berra will get the start. He hasn't started since Nov. 25 in Arizona, when he was replaced by Calvin Pickard in the first period after allowing three goals on eight shots.
"I’m going to think about it,… Roy told reporters after the loss to the Oilers. “Reto played really well. Maybe it will be a good chance for him to play (Thursday) night again. We’ll see.…
Varlamov was pulled after allowing three goals on seven shots. He was due for an off-night, but he also has to be weary -- physically as well as mentally -- after starting 28 of the past 29 games, all of them under more pressure than usual because the Avalanche were trying to stay in the hunt for a postseason berth.
Berra stopped 26 of 27 shots. The Avalanche rallied from a 3-0 deficit to tie the game in the third period, but Derek Roy poked in a loose puck that got behind Berra for the winning goal on a power play with John Mitchell off for slashing.
The game was a microcosm of the entire season, a furious but futile push at the end following a lousy start.
*****
Anybody notice forward Jordan Caron since his March 2 acquisition from Boston? OK, he hasn't gotten great minutes -- he's averaging 9:24 in ice time -- but you'd think he'd manage to produce at least one point by accident.
Yes, the Avalanche liked the fact that he's 6-foot-3, 204 pounds and is a former first-round draft pick, but he's been virtually invisible. He didn't have a point in 11 games with the Bruins and he doesn't have any in 10 games in Colorado (he has five shots on goal).
Caron isn't going to produce much on the fourth line, which is where's been lately, but Roy wouldn't have taken him away from Matt Duchene and Jarome Iginla if he'd been effective with them.
*****
The Canucks will wear 1915 Vancouver Millionaire replica uniforms against the Avalanche to honor the 100th anniversary of the Millionaires’ Stanley Cup championship. The jerseys are maroon with a large 'V' and the pants are cream.
“I think whenever you win a Cup, that makes a good fashion statement," Canucks coach Willie Desjardins said. "It’s a great feat to have accomplished and I think it’s certainly worthy of remembering and honoring.…
Here's the Avalanche's projected lineup:
FORWARDS Gabriel Landeskog - Ryan O'Reilly - Alex Tanguay John Mitchell - Matt Duchene - Jarome Iginla Cody McLeod - Marc-Andre Cliche - Dennis Everberg Jordan Caron - Joey Hishon - Freddie Hamilton
DEFENSE Jan Hejda - Zach Redmond Nate Guenin - Tyson Barrie Brad Stuart - Nick Holden
GOALIES Semyon Varlamov/Reto Berra