COLUMBUS, Ohio — First-year Avalanche forward Matt Calvert is back in Columbus, where he played the last eight seasons with the Blue Jackets. Calvert, 28, will again play on a line with J.T. Compher and Sheldon Dries in Tuesday’s game against his former team.
“Had a chance to see some friends last night.” Calvert said after the morning skate at Nationwide Arena. “Went out with some former teammates, talked about old times, new times, what they’re going through this year. It’s a great experience and I enjoy it.”
First-year Avs defenseman Ian Cole also previously played for the Blue Jackets. Cole saw action in the last 20 regular-season games and all six playoff games last season for Columbus after being acquired from Pittsburgh.
Cole and Calvert both signed with Colorado as unrestricted free agents on July 1.
Calvert practiced with the Avs’ top line Monday, replacing injured left wing Gabe Landeskog. But the team captain participated in Tuesday’s morning skate and is cleared to play. Landeskog has a minor leg injury.
“Good to go,” Landeskog said after the morning skate.
The Avs (2-0) enter their first road game with the same lineup that produced Saturday’s 5-2 win over the visiting Philadelphia Flyers; however, Philipp Grubauer will start in goal, with Semyon Varlamov (2-0) as the backup.
“First game, you want to start this off on the right foot,” Grubauer said. “The guys played unbelievable the last two games, and the last game was really important before we go on the road. We’ll try to carry that momentum into this game.”
Defenseman Patrik Nemeth, who missed Saturday’s game with a lower-body injury, was cleared to play but will sit out for precautionary reasons — plus coach Jared Bednar doesn’t want to change the lineup coming off a win.
coach Jared Bednar after morning skate in Columbus
— Mike Chambers (@MikeChambers)
Avalanche lineup
ǰɲ
Landeskog-MacKinnon-Rantanen
Nieto-Soderberg-Bourque
Kerfoot-Jost-Wilson
Calvert-Compher-Dries
Defense
Girard-Johnson
Zadorov-Barrie
Cole-Barberio
Goal
Grubauer, Varlamov
Scratched: F Kamenev, D Nemeth
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