Philipp Grubauer gets a much-needed break Friday when the Avalanche play the Arizona Coyotes to open a four-game road trip.
Hunter Miska will start in goal after making 25 saves Wednesday for the Colorado Eagles in a 3-1 win against the Tucson Roadrunners, his former AHL team.
Miska is seeking his first career NHL win. He started two previous games for the Avalanche this year, most recently on Jan. 31 when he stopped 29 shots in a 4-3 overtime loss to the Minnesota Wild.
Miska made his NHL debut with the Coyotes on Nov. 13, 2018 when he stopped eight of nine shots in relief of Darcy Kuemper against the Detroit Red Wings.
Grubauer, who has started 14 of the Avalanche’s first 16 games, will get the nod Saturday. The Avalanche also play Monday and Wednesday in San Jose.
"I think it is just time to give him some rest and this is the best way to do it," coach Jared Bednar said after the morning skate. "Give him a few days off here and then he'll be ready for us the rest of the trip."
Grubauer had his worst game of what has been an excellent season on Wednesday, a 6-2 loss to Minnesota in which he allowed five goals on 24 shots.
Left wing Brandon Saad returns to the lineup after missing Wednesday to be with his wife Alyssa, who gave birth to the couple’s second child.
Defenseman Jacob MacDonald will replace Conor Timmins, who struggled against the Wild and was assigned to the taxi squad.
Adin Hill will make his first start of the season for Arizona. He stopped all 14 shots he faced Wednesday in relief of Kuemper when the Coyotes overcame a 3-0 deficit to defeat the Anaheim Ducks 4-3 in a shootout.
The lineup:
FORWARDS Gabriel Landeskog -- Nathan MacKinnon -- Mikko Rantanen Brandon Saad -- Nazem Kadri -- Joonas Donskoi Valeri Nichushkin -- J.T. Compher -- Andre Burakovsky Matt Calvert -- Pierre-Edouard Bellemare -- Tyson Jost
DEFENSE Devon Toews -- Cale Makar Ryan Graves -- Samuel Girard Bowen Byram -- Jacob MacDonald
GOALIES Hunter Miska Philipp Grubauer