All the latest from the blue paint...
Varly’s back
Semyon Varlamov will play for the first time since Dec. 5 when the Avs take on the Blues in Colorado tonight.
Varlamov, last year’s Vezina runner up, has been out for the last two weeks with a re-aggravated groin injury. Rookie Calvin Pickard has performed extremely well in Varlamov’s absence -- going 3-0-2 over his last five games with a .952 save percentage -- and, correspondingly, Colorado has inched up the standings and now sits just nine points back of Los Angeles for the final wild card spot in the Western Conference.
On the year, Varlamov’s 4-6-5 with a 3.21 GAA and .909 save percentage. He’ll be going up against Jake Allen in the Blues net.
Elsewhere...
Preds at Bruins: Tuukka Rask likely for Boston, no word on a Nashville starter.
Leafs at Stars: Jonathan Bernier for Toronto, Kari Lehtonen likely for Dallas.
Flyers at Wild: Ray Emery vs. Niklas Backstrom
Caps at Rangers: Henrik Lundqvist for New York, no word on a Washington starter.
Habs at Isles: Carey Price vs. Chad Johnson
‘Canes at Devils: Anton Khudobin vs. Cory Schneider
Sabres at Red Wings: Michal Neuvirth vs. Petr Mrazek
Pens at Bolts: Andrei Vasilevskiy likely for Tampa Bay, no word on a Pittsburgh starter.
Coyotes at Oilers: Devan Dubnyk vs. Ben Scrivens
Jets at ‘Hawks: Michael Hutchinson vs. Corey Crawford.