Varlamov stopped 18 of 19 shots in the Avs’ 1-0 overtime loss to the Hurricanes on Wednesday. Varlamov has lost three of his first four starts while posting a 3.89 GAA and .861 SV%. Tonight Varlamov draws a good matchup against a Blue Jackets team who has started the season 0-8-0.
Varlamov surrendered five goals on 19 shots in the Avs’ loss to the Bruins last Wednesday. He was terrible in his first three starts of the season, allowing a combined 13 goals on 82 shots (.841 SV%). He will look to turn things around tonight vs. a Hurricanes team who is 21st in the NHL, averaging 2.20 goals per game.
Varlamov allowed three goals on 33 shots in the Avs’ 6-3 win over the Stars on Saturday. Through two games, Varlamov has allowed a combined eight goals on 63 shots (.873 SV%) but has also had 10 goals scored in front of him. The Avs’ offence is clicking early on, now they need to lock it down defensively.
Varlamov was spotted a 3-0 win in the first period of Thursday’s season opener, but he ended up surrendering five goals on 30 shots in the Avs’ 5-4 loss to the Wild. It was a disappointing start to the season for Varlamov and it could be tough to bounce back tonight with the Stars in town.
Varlamov posted a 1.83 GAA and .941 SV% in three preseason games and is the clear No. 1 in Colorado. He will get his 2015-16 season started against a Wild team that he was 1-4-0 with a 2.71 GAA and .926 SV% against last season. The 27-year-old comes in with a career 2.55 GAA and .918 SV%.
Pageau, 22, scored 10 goals and nine assists (19 points) in 50 games in his second NHL season. During his time in Binghamton (AHL), he had 21 points (11G / 10A) in 27 games.
It looks like Drouin will take a seat in game 1 as Vladimir Namestnikov gets set to suit up in his first career playoff game. Monitor Drouin’s status as the playoffs progress. The young forward is too goo to be held out of the lineup permanently.
Drouin missed the season finale, but was on the ice for practice this morning which suggests that he will be fine for Thursday’s game. Drouin had just four goals, but 28 assists (32 points) in 70 games this season.
Clutterbuck served as a healthy scratch on Tuesday, but he will get back into the lineup tonight in Pittsburgh. Clutterbuck has 15 points (7G / 8A) in 74 games this season, but that is not where his value lies—he is second in the NHL with 328 hits this season.
Martin will be out of the lineup tonight because of an unspecified injury. Martin will be replaced by Colin McDonald and is listed as day-to-day.
Varlamov allowed four goals on 42 shots in the Avs win over the Predators on Tuesday. Varalamov was limited to 56 starts entering today because of injury. He has gone 27-20-8 with a 2.57 GAA and .921 SV%. Tonight will be his third starts against the Blackhawks this season—he has gone 2-0-0 with a 0.50 GAA and .988 SV% in the first two.
Varlamov allowed three goals on 26 shots in the Avs loss in Los Angeles on Saturday. Tonight Varlamov will make his fourth start of the season against the Predators—he comes in having lost five of his last six and sits 1-1-1 with a 2.94 GAA and .912 SV% in his first three starts against Nashville.
Varlamov allowed two goals on 34 shots in the Avs loss to the Oilers on Monday. How does he lose to Edmonton twice in less than week? I mean come on Varlamov, not even Anders Lindback would do that. Varlamov comes in as a loser of four of his last five while posting a 3.38 GAA and .903 SV% in the process.
Varlamov allowed three goals on 38 shots in the Avs win over the Sabres on Saturday. The win snapped a three-game losing skid for Varlamov and pushed him to 7-1-1 with a 2.08 GAA and .936 SV% in March. Tonight he will look for revenge against the Oilers, who chased him from a game last Wednesday.
Varlamov was yanked after allowing three goals on seven shots in the Avs’ loss to the Oilers on Wednesday. He was given Thursday night off as well, but draws a great matchup tonight vs. the Sabres. Varlamov comes in with a 6-1-1 record, 1.97 GAA and .939 SV% in March.
