Maybe Philipp Grubauer can hang onto a lead if the Avalanche manage to get one Friday in Vancouver.

The GAME NOTES.

It wasn’t entirely his fault, but Semyon Varlamov wasn’t able to do it Thursday in Calgary when the Avalanche blew a 4-1 lead in the third period on the way to a 6-5 loss.

The Avalanche have lost two games in a row, both on the road, and three of the past four.

They didn’t have a morning skate Friday, so it isn’t known if forward A.J. Greer will be in the lineup. He was recalled from the AHL Colorado Eagles but didn’t play against the Flames.

Centers Vladislav Kamenev and Sheldon Dries figure to play after scoring their first NHL goals Thursday.

The Avalanche also got goals from Carl Soderberg and Colin Wilson, so secondary scoring wasn’t a problem for a change.

“Five goals (against) in the third period,” coach Jared Bednar said after the game. “Bad habits, circling away from the puck, not facing the puck, lack of commitment, lack of detail.”

Bednar wasn't pleased about losing defenseman Ian Cole to what appeared to be a clean open-ice hit against Mark Jankowski late in the second period, shortly after Soderberg scored to make it 4-1.

Cole was assessed a charging major and a game misconduct. Sam Bennett took exception to the hit and went after Cole. Both were given fighting penalties, while Bennett wound up with an instigator penalty.

(Avalanche center J.T. Compher hasn't played since sustaining a head injury on a hit from Bennett when the teams met Oct. 13).

Elias Lindholm scored a power-play goal early in the third, the first of five consecutive Flames goals for a 6-4 lead. Gabriel Landeskog scored with 1:03 remaining to make it 6-5 and the Avalanche couldn’t get the tying goal.

“He’s been our best defender, besides our goaltending,” Bednar said of Cole. “It was a good hit, a clean hit. That’s not the reason we lost, but missing Ian in the third period was a big factor.”

Possible lineup Friday:

Gabriel Landeskog -- Nathan MacKinnon -- Mikko Rantanen
Alexander Kerfoot -- Vladislav Kamenev -- Colin Wilson
Matt Nieto -- Carl Soderberg -- Matt Calvert
A.J. Greer -- Sheldon Dries -- Gabriel Bourque

Samuel Girard -- Erik Johnson
Ian Cole -- Tyson Barrie
Nikita Zadorov -- Patrik Nemeth

Philipp Grubauer
Semyon Varlamov



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