Morning skate notebook: Who is the Avs' "Scott Foster" emergency guy?

No Scott Foster story is expected tonight, as the Avalanche have both their regular goalies back for duty.

Semyon Varlamov will start the game, and be backed up by Jonathan Bernier. The Foster story, by the way, has gone national. A 36-year-old accountant comes off the street, in essence, and stops all seven Winnipeg shots he faces in 14 minutes of action. It’s a great story – and it could happen to any NHL team.

The Avs, in fact, have a list of “emergency” goalies for any home game (and, on the road, but the deal is, that person has to be from that city they’re playing in). So did the Flyers the other night. Here, in fact, is a picture of 25-year-old Nick Barnett, from Aurora, who actually was dressed for the Avs game against the Flyers the other night – as the Flyers’ emergency goalie.

(I had this wrong originally, thinking he was the Avs’ emergency guy, but, no, it turns out he was actually the Flyers’ emergency guy – even though he’s an Avs fan from Colorado!!). The Flyers lost Michal Neuvirth the other night to injury, so this guy was pressed into possible duty for Philly).

This GIF of Barnett is courtesy of Richard Furlong and Altitude, who actually  did a story on the Avs’ emergency goalie situation on the latest episode of “Avalanche 360.” But it’s not Barnett. If you’re confused, so am I, so tune in to find out.

That’s how Foster played last night for Chicago. Anton Forsberg, the scheduled starter, hurt himself before the game and his backup, Colin Delia, had to leave the game because of cramps. So in stepped the accountant, the emergency guy.

I don’t know all the details, but I’m told the deal for such emergency guys is: They get free admission to the game, but have to sign a waiver against getting a real portion of an NHL salary for the game. I hear it’s $500 if they actually play. I think they should get 1/82nd of an NHL minimum $550,000 salary, but that’s just me.

Anyway, Varly is back and Bernier said his hand is good again. But it was scary for a while. His infection got so bad that he had to be admitted to the hospital and, at one point, surgery was a realistic possibility.

Delia, by the way, will start for the Blackhawks, who figure to be loose, with nothing to play for. It’ll be a tough game, but the Avs have to find a way to win it.

Sven Andrighetto will return to the lineup, by the way, with Dominic Toninato taking a seat. That, Jared Bednar said, is the only change from last game to the lineup – other than in goal, of course.