Red-hot goaltender Semyon Varlamov on Monday was named the NHL’s first star of the week, after going 3-0 with a 0.67 goals-against average and .981 save percentage while helping the Avalanche extend its winning streak to five games.
Varlamov, who entered Monday night’s home game against Toronto on a six-game winning streak, posted a 29-save shutout at Chicago last week before making 33 saves in a 2-1 win over the visiting New York Islanders. Saturday, he stopped 39 shots in a 5-1 victory over Edmonton.
His goaltending mastery began Dec. 5 at home against Minnesota with a 19-save, 2-1 victory. After backup Reto Berra took the loss against the Pittsburgh Penguins on Dec. 9, Varlamov posted consecutive-night victories at Central Division rivals Nashville (3-2, 34 saves) and St. Louis (3-1, 42 saves).
Varlamov’s save percentage entering Monday was .921, some 30 points higher than it was to begin December. He was 12-8-1 with a 2.45 goals-against average before making his sixth consecutive start Monday.
Status quo
Coach Patrick Roy will ride his winning lineup until the Avalanche loses or injuries occur, so forward Chris Wagner and defenseman Brandon Gormley were the odd men out Monday against the Maple Leafs.
Wagner was replaced by Mikhail Grigorenko as Colorado’s fourth-line center for the fifth consecutive game.
Zach Redmond got the nod over Gormley for the fourth game in a row.
Familiar faces
Three former Avalanche players, and former University of Denver standout Tyler Bozak, are regulars in the Toronto lineup. In fact, Bozak and winger P.A. Parenteau combined for three goals and five points in the Maple Leafs’ 5-1 victory over Colorado last month at the Air Canada Centre.
The other former Avs are forward Daniel Winnik and defenseman Matt Hunwick.
Bozak, who has a home in Denver, said he probably would have spent the upcoming three-day NHL break in the Mile High City if he didn’t have a 6-week-old son back in Toronto. Bozak, 29, said he felt fortunate to be able to witness the birth of his son during the season.
Footnotes
The long-term injuries of Avs forwards Jesse Winchester (head), Ben Street (chest) and defenseman Brad Stuart are still just that. Winchester, who has yet to play for the team since suffering a preseason concussion in October 2014, has little contact with anyone associated with the team while everyone involved hopes time heals his head. Street had surgery last month to repair a torn pectoral muscle and Stuart is shut down with a back injury.
Mike Chambers, The Denver Post
