PICKARD RESTED FOR ROAD GAME; McLEOD INACTIVE

The Avalanche has two players from Manitoba, but neither was ticketed to play against Winnipeg on Friday night.

Goalie Calvin Pickard, who was born in New Brunswick but was raised in Winnipeg and considers that his home, watched from the bench as Semyon Varlamov got the start in the Colorado net. He is scheduled to play against the Coyotes on Saturday night in Glendale, Ariz.

Winger Cody McLeod, from Binscarth, Manitoba, was a healthy scratch for the third time in six games this season.

“That’s hard,” said Colorado coach Jared Bednar. “That’s the toughest part of the business for a coach. It’s because of his work ethic and his attitude, and you know that he cares. So when you have to scratch a guy like that, a heart and soul guy, it’s tough, you feel for him. I mean, he’s doing everything he can to work his way into our lineup and he works hard and plays hard and does all the right things. … It certainly makes it tougher when you see Cody’s attitude and you know his history with the team.”

Winger Gabriel Bourque was the other healthy scratch. Defenseman Fedor Tyutin missed his second consecutive game with a groin muscle injury.

Concussion spotters.

Bednar said he was fine with the NHL using spotters to be on the watch for players who possibly suffer concussions.

“You want to make sure your players are taken care of and are safe,” he said.

Bednar spent his entire playing career in the minor leagues — the East Coast, International and American Leagues. Asked how many concussions he had suffered, Bednar said: “Too many. A handful, for sure. Back when I broke in, you didn’t always know that you had them. It certainly wasn’t looked at the same way.”

Third jerseys.

The Avs wore their blue third jerseys — with the red C symbol inside a triangular mountain crest — against the Jets. It was the first of 14 times they will wear the third jerseys this season. In that design’s first season, Colorado was 5-8-1 while wearing the third jerseys.