NASHVILLE, Tenn. — Darcy KuemperThe will be present for Game 4 on Monday night. Colorado AvalancheThe right eye of the goaltender is still swelling from being poked with a stick through his mask.
Jared Bednar, Avalanche coach, said Pavel FrancouzHe will be starting against Nashville after he made 18 saves in just 41 minutes. Justus AnnunenFrancouz will be supported from the AHL affiliate in Colorado by recalled.
Up 3-0, the Avalanche can win this best-of-7, first-round Western Conference series.
Kuemper suffered a shoulder injury late in Saturday’s 7-3 win by the Avs. Play was stopped with 56.6 seconds remaining. Replays showed Predators centre Ryan JohansenKuemper was slapped by Kuemper’s mask with his stick. The goalie was able skate away and returned to the locker room with a towel on his face.
Johansen claimed Sunday that he felt “sick to the stomach” after seeing Kuemper get hurt. If the swelling subsides, Bednar would have left Kuemper open Monday night.