Jared Bednar confident in Alexandar Georgiev despite Justus Annunen’s strong play | Avalanche Notebook

While it appears as though Justus Annunen has leapfrogged Alexandar Georgiev for the time being, the schedule isn’t really going to allow for the Avalanche to play only Annunen. 

With their first three games in a four-night stretch coming this week, Georgiev will get another shot in the net for Colorado. And yes, Avs coach Jared Bednar still has plenty of confidence in him. He just has to do what he has to do to keep winning games.

“It’s not that I don’t still view (Georgiev) as the number one,” Bednar said after practice on Saturday. “Pretty much every position on our team, they earn their ice time…this could easily be (Georgiev) on a hot streak and we’d ride him. It’s a long year. As of right now, we’re just going to take it easy and choose our best goalie the night before the game.” 

Colorado will host Ottawa and Chicago on back-to-back nights before Tampa Bay comes to town on Wednesday. If they continue to get good goaltending like Annunen has provided of late, they’re in a good position to keep this hot streak going. 

“It just seems like he’s ready the play really well,” Bednar said of the 24-year-old Finn. “He just looks confident, early, and sharp.” 

Injury updates 

The Avalanche appears to have dodged a bullet. 

On Thursday, Ross Colton left the game halfway through the second period after taking a stick to the hand and did not return. After the game, Bednar didn’t have an update. While neither Colton nor Miles Wood practiced with the team on Saturday, there’s still a possibility both will play on Sunday.

“No guarantees,” Bednar said. 

Wood has been dealing with a few issues off and on early in the season. 

Artturi Lehkonen skated in a regular jersey on the top line in place of Colton. That doesn’t mean anything has changed with his status, though. 

“He’s got that evaluation on Tuesday, and then we’ll get word,” Bednar said. “He’s in a regular jersey just because he won’t put on red anymore.” 

Lehkonen handed off his red jersey to Jonathan Drouin, who skated with the team in that non-contact jersey. No update was provided on him after practice, but joining the team on the ice is usually the first step for a player before they return to the lineup. It might not be long before he’s back. 

MVP handoff 

In the home opener for the Avalanche, Nikola Jokic came out of the tunnel to present Nathan MacKinnon with his Hart Trophy award. On Saturday, MacKinnon returned the favor, presenting Jokic with his MVP trophy ahead of the Nuggets-Clippers game.