Semyon Varlamov will get his second start in goal against his former Washington Capitals teammates Sunday at the Pepsi Center. He made 40 saves -- six against Alex Ovechkin -- Oct. 12 in the Avalanche's 5-1 win at the Verizon Center in D.C.
"Varly was outstanding," coach Patrick Roy said Saturday. "Ovechkin didn't have any points, and that doesn't happen very often. You have to play a good game if you want to keep him off the scoreboard. You have to be sharp and that's what our guys did."
Varlamov was meeting with the coaches after practice Saturday and wasn't available to talk about Sunday's game. Last month, before playing against the Capitals for the first time, he said he was so nervous that his legs were shaking. You wouldn't have known it by the way he played.
"I think it's always a nice challenge to play against your ex-team," Roy said. "It was the same case for me every time we played Montreal. You always want to do well in those games. It's nothing against your ex-team, it's just the pride that comes into play. You want to perform well and you want to have a strong night. I'm sure Varly is going to be very focused for that game."
Varlamov allowed five goals on 27 shots in his last start, Wednesday's 6-4 loss to Nashville when the Avalanche had its worst defensive performance of the season.
"I think it's a new start for Varly," Roy said. "It's an opportunity for him to play a good game, that's all it is. Every day as a coach, the only thing that I believe that I earn is to coach the next game. I think Varly is in the same situation. What he has earned by the quality of his play is to start the next game, and I think that's where the focus should be."
Varlamov will take an 8-2 record into the game. He has a 2.10 goals-against average and .933 save percentage.
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Defenseman Erik Johnson was spotted entering the X-ray room at the Pepsi Center after Friday's game against Calgary and no serious damage was found. He blocked five shots in the 4-2 win.
"I'm good, all good, no issues," he said Saturday. "You shake it off and as long as there's nothing structurally wrong, I'm good to go, which I was happy to hear."
Johnson practiced Saturday and will play Sunday. He played 22:41 against the Flames and had an assist, two official hits and was a plus-1.
I'm just trying to keep getting better," said Johnson, who has two goals, three assists and a plus-7 rating through the first 15 games. "Like (defense consultant) Adam Foote says, you always want to play that perfect game and try to make an impact every shift. That's what you shoot for."
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Nick Holden finally got to play a game as a defenseman, his natural position, Friday because Ryan Wilson will miss at least two weeks with a back injury.
Holden, a 6-foot-4, 207-pounder, was paired with fellow free-agent signee Nate Guenin. Holden logged 15:56 in ice time. He had one shot on goal, four hits and took a holding penalty in the second period that wiped out an Avalanche power play. "My goal was to make this team and try and contribute in some way," said Holden, 26, who spent the previous five seasons in the Columbus Blue Jackets organization and played a total of seven NHL games. "With the start that we had, which was awesome, I didn't get in until now. I'm just happy for the opportunity and I feel blessed to get it."
Holden, who played the point on power plays Friday, was used as a left wing on the fourth line in his only other game this season, Nov. 1 in Dallas when Cody McLeod was finishing his suspension and Jamie McGinn was sidelined with a knee injury.
"I went from not playing to being able to play power play," Holden said. "I was kind of surprised that he put me in there. It's a position I'm comfortable playing. I'm going to fill in any role that they need me to play. Patrick kept telling me to be patient, that I would get my opportunity and to just keep working hard.
"You never want to see your teammates get hurt. You don't wish that on anybody, but it created an opportunity and I just have to play my game and help the team keep winning."
Holden and Guenin, who has played in every game this season, were teammates in the Columbus organization in 2010-11 when they were with the Springfield (Mass.) Falcons in the American Hockey League.
"I think both of us came into camp knowing there would be a little bit of an opportunity to make a first impression with Patrick being a first-year coach and everything," Holden said. "We really opened eyes. Nate's been playing unbelievable so far and hopefully I can continue to play well and stay in as well."