Semyon Varlamov. (Andy Cross, The Denver Post)
After the Avalanche’s Friday practice, Patrick Roy reiterated his faith in goalie Semyon Varlamov and said the Russian would be back in the Colorado net Saturday night against Winnipeg.
This comes in the wake of Roy, in response to a question after a 5-3 loss to Ottawa Wednesday night, acknowledging that Varlamov allowed a soft and deflating first goal. “He needs to be better,” Roy said that night. “Period.”
Varlamov ultimately was yanked early in the second period after allowing three goals on 15 shots.
Roy said he never considered going with Reto Berra against Winnipeg.
“It was clear in my mind, (Varlamov) was playing,” Roy said. “He will play (against) the Islanders next game, if healthy.”
Varlamov played well in a 4-1 win over the Jets in Winnipeg Monday, but Roy said that had “nothing to do with the decision of going with him. He’s our number one goalie. Like I said, I was very upfront with you guys after the game and said the first goal was a bad goal. You even said that in your article and I agree with that. From there, he’s out number one goalie and I’m behind him.”
Then Roy mentioned his experiences in 1993, when as a Canadiens goalie he was catching a lot of heat in Montreal during the regular season and his coach stuck with him.
“I remember in ’93, it was a tough year and it would have been easy for coach (Jacques) Demers to put the other guy in, and he stayed by me, by my side … I said the same thing to Varly this morning to Varly. I said, ‘I’m with you for the good and the bad and we’ll find a way to get your game going.'”
The Canadiens won the Stanley Cup that year and Roy was the Conn Smythe Trophy winner as the playoff MVP for the second time.
(Everberg material coming…)
Terry Frei: tfrei@denverpost.com or
