Corey Crawford pv

AVALANCHE (11-20-1) at BLACKHAWKS (22-9-4)
8:30 p.m. ET; CSN-CH, ALT, NHL.TV

Avalanche team scope

Goalie Calvin Pickard will start for the Colorado Avalanche, who are looking to end a five-game losing streak. Goalie Semyon Varlamov, who was pulled in a 6-0 loss to the Toronto Maple Leafs at Pepsi Center on Thursday, didn't make the trip because of a groin injury. The Avalanche recalled Spencer Martin from San Antonio of the American Hockey League to back up Pickard. Since going 9-9-0 to start the season, the Avalanche are 2-11-1. "I'm hoping we're fine," coach Jared Bednar said Friday. "We've got to find a way to turn the page. We can't do much about [Thursday] now, so it's time to worry about Chicago." It would help to have Varlamov, who is 11-5-1 in 18 games against the Chicago Blackhawks. Bednar is going to make changes to the forward lines and defense pairs from what they looked like against Toronto. Defenseman Eric Gelinas and forward Mikhail Grigorenko will return to the lineup, with forward Cody McLeod and defenseman Patrick Wiercioch each a healthy scratch.

Blackhawks team scope

Goalie Corey Crawford will make his first start after missing 10 games recovering from an appendectomy, but the Blackhawks will be without center Artem Anisimov and right wing Marian Hossa. They are out with upper-body injuries. Rookie center Vinnie Hinostroza, who's been filling in for Anisimov on the second line, missed the morning skate with flu-like symptoms. Hinostroza, who has two goals and four points during a three-game point streak, is questionable. If he's unable to go, the Blackhawks will dress seven defensemen. "We've had a lot of chances in games where we've had guys out for big parts of the game," coach Joel Quenneville said. "We have a lot of options interchanging the lines that we'll probably see." Rookie Tanner Kero, 24, will make his season debut after being recalled from Rockford of the American Hockey League on Thursday. Kero, who had a goal and two assists in 17 games with Chicago last season, led the IceHogs with 20 points (seven goals) in 28 games this season. "They're very happy with how he's played down there this year," Quenneville said. "Watching him skate the last two days, he looks like he's got some quickness to him … I think it's helped his overall game, because we like the way he thinks the game."

Avalanche projected lineup

Gabriel Landeskog -- Nathan Mackinnon -- Mikko Rantanen
Mikhail Grigorenko -- Matt Duchene -- Rene Bourque
Blake Comeau -- Carl Soderberg -- Jarome Iginla
Joe Colborne -- John Mitchell - Andreas Martinsen
Fedor Tyutin -- Tyson Barrie
Francois Beauchemin -- Nikita Zadorov
Cody Golubef - Eric Gelinas
Calvin Pickard
Spencer Martin
Scratched: Patrick Wiercioch, Cody McLeod
Injured: Erik Johnson (leg), Semyon Varlamov (groin)

Blackhawks projected lineup
Status report

Kempny is in line to be scratched for the fourth straight game and the eighth time in the past nine. Rozsival was off the ice before Kempny in the morning skate, which may indicate he'll be the seventh defenseman if Hinostroza doesn't play. Rozsival would likely play wing on the fourth line. This will be Darling's first time backing up since Crawford underwent surgery. He was 6-3-1 in 10 starts during Crawford's absence.

Who's hot

Duchene needs a point to reach 400 for his NHL career, all with Colorado, and has five goals and eight points in the past nine games. … Panarin has five goals and 12 points during a six-game point streak. Kane has two goals and six points during a four-game point streak and is three points from 700 for his NHL career. Keith has a goal and four assists during a four-game point streak.