Eurolanche

Semin could crack Habs lineup vs Avs

Season series: The Montreal Canadiens won their two games against the Colorado Avalanche  last season, each by one goal. Montreal defenseman P.K. Subban  had three goals and one assist in the two games. Forward Alex Galchenyuk and defenseman Andrei Markov each had a goal and two assists. Avalanche forwards Matt Duchene and Alex Tanguay and defenseman Tyson Barrie each had a goal and an assist against Montreal.

Avalanche team scope (6-9-1): Colorado did not practice Friday, and will not have left wing Gabriel Landeskog in the lineup against Montreal. The Avalanche captain was suspended for two games Friday for a hit to the head of Boston Bruins forward Brad Marchand on Thursday. Landeskog was assessed a match penalty in the second period of Colorado's 3-2 win. The Avalanche overcame a two-goal deficit and center Matt Duchene, who scored the game-winning goal, said the two-game winning streak is a great start to Colorado's seven-game road trip, their longest of the season. "It's hard to be confident in those times, with what we've gone through this year, but we're fighting through it and we're showing good character and it was just a great team effort," Duchene said Thursday in a video posted to the Avalanche website. With goalie Semyon Varlamov day-to-day because of a groin injury, Calvin Pickard was recalled from San Antonio of the American Hockey League. Pickard, who backed up Reto Berra in Boston, started each of Colorado's games against Montreal last season.

Canadiens team scope (13-2-2): Forward Alexander Semin may find his way back into the lineup against the Avalanche. A healthy scratch for the past seven games, Semin skated on a line with Alex Galchenyuk and Lars Eller at practice Friday. "We'll see," coach Michel Therrien said. "We haven't taken a final decision regarding the lineups [Saturday], and if he's getting an opportunity, we want him to make sure he's really responsible with and without the puck like we ask every player on our hockey team." Semin, who last played on Oct. 27, had one goal and two assists in 10 games playing with Galchenyuk and Eller. "When you don't play in seven games, and after that it's tough starting in a game, but I don't look at that and I want a fresh start and keep playing," Semin said. Defenseman Alexei Emelin  did not practice. Look for either Greg Pateryn or Jarred Tinordi to make his season debut Saturday if Emelin is unable to play. Center Torrey Mitchell missed practice for personal reasons.

-- by Sean Farrell for NHL.com --

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