Calvin Pickard (Getty Images file)
At the outset of Wednesday night’s Colorado-Boston game, Avalanche goalie Calvin Pickard again will be watching Semyon Varlamov in the Colorado net. It will be Varlamov’s 12th start in the last 13 games, and he’s playing well again, so coach Patrick Roy’s decision isn’t eyebrow-raising at all.
Pickard, recalled for the fourth time this season on Jan. 12, hasn’t played since he had 44 saves in a 3-2 shootout loss at Carolina on Jan. 13. For the season, he is 6-6-3, with a 2.18 goals-against average and a .936 save percentage. In the official league stats, he still is listed at No. 1 in save percentage, but his 15 games are right at the minimum to qualify, so continued inactivity will knock him out of that spot.
“It’s a nice honor, but I haven’t played nearly as much as the other guys around on that list,” Pickard said after the morning skate. “It’s a tough number to maintain and I’m lucky to maintain a good number so far for this season. I’d like to get back in there and maintain that same percentage.”
The Avalanche faces a decision on what to do when Reto Berra’s five-game conditioning assignment at Lake Erie ends (that means he didn’t have to go through waivers). And previously, Colorado’s position to justify sending Pickard down after Varlamov was healthy, leaving Berra as the backup, was that Pickard would benefit from the work at Lake Erie.
“I haven’t played in a week, which in the big scheme of things isn’t a whole lot of time,” Pickard said. “But I get very quality practice time with the guys here and Francois (Allaire, the team’s goaltending coach) is in town and I’m out there working with him.
“And watching Varly is a nice treat too, so I’m just going to take it day by day and keep working hard … Anytime you’re sending quality time in the NHL, working with a goalie coach like Francois and having Patty around and watching Varly and having these shooters shoot on you, you’re going to be getting better. I have to use the practice time to my advantage and when I get a chance, to take advantage of it.”
Had anyone told him what might happen after Berra’s five games are up this weekend? The Avs are off after Wednesday night’s game for the All-Star break until reconvening Monday afternoon for practice.
“No, I haven’t heard anything, nor do I want to hear anything,” Pickard said. “I just want to continue what I’m doing here and put forward a good effort and when I get an opportunity, grasp it.”
Pickard said he and road roommate Zach Redmond watched Berra score a goal against the Chicago Wolves last Friday in their hotel room in Tampa.
“We saw it happen and we were really happy for him,” Pickard said. “It was a great shot and a great celebration as well.”
Pickard said he’s 0-for-2 when trying to score into the empty net at the other end.
“I’ve tried a couple of times in junior and one time I turned the puck over and the other time went for an icing,” he said. “I got a little shy after that.”
Terry Frei: tfrei@denverpost.com or twitter.com/TFrei
