Goaltenders Varlamov, Miller face off in Colorado

DENVER -- Semyon Varlamov, fresh off signing a five-year, $29.5 million contract extension, will start in goal Saturday when the Colorado Avalanche face the Buffalo Sabres at Pepsi Center. Varlamov went 10-1-1 in January, a franchise record for the month.

Center Paul Stastny and right wing Alex Tanguay will be game-time decisions. Stastny sustained an ankle injury in a collision with several players in the third period Thursday in the Avalanche's 5-4 win against the Minnesota Wild. Tanguay tweaked his knee in the third period.

Ryan Miller is expected to start in goal for the Sabres. Miller made 38 saves Thursday when the Sabres defeated the Phoenix Coyotes 3-2 and has gone 8-3-3 in his past 14 decisions. Defenseman Christian Ehrhoff missed that game with an illness but could be back in the lineup Saturday.

Here are the projected lineups:

SABRES

Brian Flynn - Tyler Ennis - Zemgus Girgensons

Ville Leino - Cody Hodgson - Steve Ott

Marcus Foligno - Philip Varone - Matt D'Agostini

Matt Ellis - Zenon Konopka - Linus Omark

Alexander Sulzer - Henrik Tallinder

Mike Weber - Tyler Myers

Chad Ruhwedel - Christian Ehrhoff

Ryan Miller

Jhonas Enroth

Scratched: John Scott, Jamie McBain

Injured: Matt Moulson (upper body), Drew Stafford (upper body), Cody McCormick (upper body).

AVALANCHE

Ryan O'Reilly - Matt Duchene - Jamie McGinn

Gabriel Landeskog - Paul Stastny - Alex Tanguay

Maxime Talbot - Nathan MacKinnon - John Mitchell

Cody McLeod - Marc-Andre Cliche - Patrick Bordeleau

Jan Hejda - Erik Johnson

Andre Benoit - Nate Guenin

Nick Holden - Tyson Barrie

Semyon Varlamov

Jean-Sebastien Giguere

Scratched: PA Parenteau, Ryan Wilson

Injured: Cory Sarich (back), David Van Der Gulik (head)