Varlamov continues mediocre play in loss against former team

There are always a few games like this on the schedule. A big win, an unexepected win, followed by a game the next night in another city. It’s natural for the pundits to say “OK, this game is just gravy, a win would be nice but you can’t expect too much.” And it’s up to guys like Semyon Varlamov, or any other No. 1 goalie who has had a few days of rest to shove it right back in the pundits’ mouths.

Unfortunately for the Colorado Avalanche, Semyon Varlamov was not up to the job Tuesday night. No, this loss wasn’t all on him. The team in front of him only had 10 forwards (11, if you want to count Gabriel Bourque). With Alexander Kerfoot out with a, ahem, sore foot, and with the Avs fresh off a “huge” win over the Pittsburgh Penguins, victory seemed like a luxury too much to ask for the team’s fans.

In the end, it was too much to ask, as Washington beat Colorado 5-2. A 1-1 game in the second period turned lopsided after Varlamov allowed a shot from former teammate John Carlson from near the point to beat him, with 2:18 left in the second period. Brett Connolly would add an insurance goal in the third to beat an Avs team that finished 2-2-0 on the four-game Eastern road trip.

All in all, 2-2 on this trip wasn’t bad. Especially, after an opening loss in Tampa Bay. Now, though, the Avs have to come home and do what they failed to do on the last homestand: Win.

Anything else, in a homestand that includes three of the four teams they just played, will continue to be further proof that, while this Avs team is definitely better than the last version, still isn’t ready for Prime Time.

Varlamov easily could have stolen this one. Washington didn’t play all that great, outshooting the Avs just 27-24. Or, at least, Varly could have stolen a point. But you had the sense early on that he just didn’t have his ‘A’ game, when Jakub Vrana beat him to the far post on a short-side slap shot early on. True, Erik Johnson drifted too far into the middle on the 3-on-2 sequence, but Varlamov was just plain beaten on the shot.

The Avs played better after Vrana’s goal, and were finally rewarded in the second period, when Colin Wilson converted Mikko Rantanen’s centering pass for his second goal in as many games.

But after that? The Avs seemed to get too satisfied again, sitting back a bit too much and failing to capitalize on the few prime chances they got. J.T. Compher, in particular, continues to be snakebit in close.

Carlson put the Caps ahead to stay with his big blast over Varlamov’s left shoulder.

Varlamov’s saves percentage dropped to .903 on the season, with a 3.19 goals-against average. If these numbers don’t improve, in a hurry, questions will start arising about his longer-term future in Denver. He has one season beyond this one on his contract, at a $5.9 million cap hit.

Stats like that won’t get him any new contract beyond the money he’s making now.