The Avalanche’s silver lining from Thursday’s 7-1 loss at home to Los Angeles was getting goalie some time in net after starter was pulled when the Kings took a 5-1 lead.
Bernier had missed the previous five games, and 13 of 16, due to the effect of concussions. He took a hard shot off the helmet March 10 against Arizona in his first game back since suffering his first head injury Feb. 16 at Winnipeg.
“I would say that’s the one positive out of this game,” Avs coach said Thusday night. “We get an opportunity with the score going the way it was to get (Bernier) back in the net and get him to play some minutes. I thought he looked sharp, square, real calm and controlled early on.”
Bernier is 18-11-2 in 32 appearances and Varlamov has a 21-15-6 record in 46 games — playing in 19 consecutive. The Avs — who currently sit in the first of two Western Conference wild-card playoff spots — plan on playing Varlamov and Bernier in the last eight regular-season games. But Bednar is going back with Varlamov on Saturday against the visiting Vegas Golden Knights.
Bernier could get the call Monday at Vegas when Colorado concludes a home-and-home set against the playoff-bound expansion team.
“Looking at his history after a tough game, he’s been really good,” Bednar told NHL.com’s Rick Sadowski after practice Friday. “Got a little rest, had a good practice today — short, quick practice — so we like the way he’s played, so we’re going to go back with him.”
But clearly, the Avs are a better team with both their veteran goalies available. “We got two guys we can lean on here to the finish,” Bednar said.
Vegas comes to Colorado on the verge of clinching a playoff and just six points behind Nashville for first place in the Western Conference.
“They’re a hard working team,” Bednar said. “One of the similarities to them and L.A. is they’re going to wait for you to make mistakes, or force you into mistakes. They’re a patient group, willing to come at you the same way the whole night. We’ve done a good job of that as a team for quite some time.
“(Thursday) night was not one of those nights. We can’t have any passengers because they’re a deep team. They play everyone. They come at you in waves.”
Soderberg back. Second-line center practiced Friday after missing two games with an illness. He will play against the Golden Knights, reunited with wingers and . The Avs replaced Soderberg rookies and in the last two games, and Soderberg was clearly missed.
