Morning Skate Diary
Yes, Antoine Bibeau really will start in goal for the Avalanche against Canucks
VANCOUVER, British Columbia – We will see our fourth starting goalie for the Avalanche on the still-tender season tonight.
Antoine Bibeau gets the start for the Avs against the Vancouver Canucks, the team confirmed not long ago. Adam Werner will be the backup, as Philipp Grubauer and Pavel Francouz remain inactive.
The good news: Grubauer is close to returning. Might be next game against the Calgary Flames. And, Francouz was out on the ice today too.
But, wow, Antoine Bibeau is your starter tonight.
My take: Not sure I agree with this move by Jared Bednar. I mean, this is the thanks Adam Werner gets, is a seat on the bench after not being a superman for a second straight game. Um, a guy named Connor McDavid was feeling it that night, along with linemate Leon Draisaitl. They are only the top two scorers in the league.
I think Werner deserved another start. He single-handedly won that game in Winnipeg, and no goalie anywhere would have had a chance against McDavid the other night.
Maybe Bibeau will pitch a shutout tonight and make me eat my words. Hey, I hope he does. *Update: He got the win. Happy to eat some crow here.
But I have some doubts. The guy played all of one game with the Colorado Eagles (and was lit up) and faced 10 shots in a game that was over, the other night.
Some other lineup news: Tyson Jost won’t play. Upper body. Jayson Megna will play, the Avs say. Nikita Zadorov returns to the lineup. Barberio and Connauton will sit, the team said.