Skip navigation
Favorites
Sign up to follow your favorites on all your devices.
Sign up

Varlamov on losing Avs starting gig: “It’s going to be tough”

Semyon Varlamov

Colorado Avalanche goalie Semyon Varlamov (1), of Russia, heads back onto the ice to face the Los Angeles Kings after a break in the action during the first period of a preseason NHL hockey game in Denver, Wednesday, Sept. 28, 2011. (AP Photo/Barry Gutierrez)

AP

The Colorado Avalanche acquired two goalies this offseason: Semyon Varlamov and J.S. Giguere. The former cost the Avs a first- and second-round pick (and $8.5 million); the latter cost them no picks and $2.5 million.

So it was no surprise that, heading into the season, Varlamov was the starter and Giguere the backup.

But heading into the All-Star break, it’s Giguere that’s the No. 1 guy...while Varlamov tries to keep a positive frame of mind.

“J.S. is playing well right now, and it’s good for the team,” Varlamov told the Denver Post. “I just have to keep working. I know it’s going to be tough, but I just have to be ready — always.”

Giguere started making headway back in mid-December. His strong play coincided with the Avs emerging from a funk to climb back into playoff positioning -- during one especially strong stretch, Giguere ripped off four straight wins against Washington, Philadelphia, St. Louis and Tampa Bay, allowing just six goals.

Varlamov didn’t help his cause any with a string of poor January performances. There was a 4-1 home loss to Nashville and a 6-1 bombing in Phoenix -- two stinkers which, coincidentally, were Varlamov’s only two appearances in the last nine games.

“That’s why I’m not playing right now, I think,” Varlamov said of the lopsided losses. “But it’s a long season. We still have 30 games after the break.”

All told, Giguere has been the goalie of record in 13 of Colorado’s last 19 games. His numbers on the year are outstanding -- 2.15 GAA (eighth in the NHL), .921 save percentage -- and there’s a good chance head coach Joe Sacco will keep riding him down the stretch (gotta be a better way to say that.)

Despite the fact Giguere’s 34 with plenty of tread on his tires, he was tabbed for back-to-back starts last weekend in Los Angeles in Anaheim, then got the nod again on Tuesday as the Avs lost 3-2 to Minnesota.