Avalanche rookie Calvin Pickard, adding to his rapid rise in place of the injured Semyon Varlamov, will again start for Colorado on Thursday against the visiting Winnipeg Jets.
“He deserves to play,” Avs coach Patrick Roy said Wednesday after an optional practice skate for the team.
Pickard on Tuesday stopped 20 shots and allowed just one goal in . The Predators scored two late, empty-net goals.
The Avs are without their No. 1 goalie, Varlamov, for a “couple weeks” with a groin injury, Roy said Monday.
So the Avs recalled Pickard from the minor-league Lake Erie Monsters.
In eight games for the Avs, with five starts, Pickard is 3-5 with a 2.30 goals-against average — the best among the Avs’ three goalies. Varlamov is 4-6-5 in 15 games, with a 3.22 GAA.
“I want to take it day by day,” Pickard said Wednesday. “You can’t think about it too hard.”
Winnipeg, at home last Friday, routed the Avs 6-2. The Jets chased Varlamov out of net in the third period after he allowed five goals. Backup Reto Berra allowed another in relief.
McGinn surgery. The Avs are awaiting word on Jamie McGinn, who was scheduled for back surgery Wednesday. Doctors will decide during surgery if he needs a long-term or short-term repair. But McGinn could be out for the season.
Plane problems. Avs general manager Joe Sakic and Roy boarded a plane early Wednesday morning for Montreal, where they planned to attend the funeral of Montreal Canadiens legend Jean Beliveau.
But nearly an hour after takeoff, the plane experienced problems and was forced to turn around and return to Denver, according to an Avs spokesman.
“We’re sad we couldn’t be a part of it,” Roy said of missing the funeral.
Nick Groke: ngroke@denverpost.com or twitter.com/nickgroke
