Semyon Varlamov travels with Avs, expected to backup Giguere vs. Stars

RJ Sangosti/The Denver Post A day after being released on $5,000 bail, Semyon Varlamov is in Dallas as the Colorado Avalanche prepare for their game against the Stars Friday night. Facing assault and kidnapping charges, the 25-year old goaltender was given permission to travel by a judge and ordered to stay away from the alleged victim.

He won't start against the Stars, but is expected to be on the bench serving as Jean-Sebastien Giguere's backup.

On Thursday, the Denver Post spoke with Varlamov's accuser, who claimed he had been drinking more than 12 hours and that this wasn't the first time he assaulted her.

From the Post:

Vavrinyuk said the goalie, whom she has been dating for a year, kicked her in the chest, stomped on her while she lay on the ground and dragged her by her hair from their bedroom early Monday. She pointed to her chest, arms, stomach, neck and head — places she said she are bruised. She also said he kicked her out of the apartment.

...

She said her boyfriend had beat her at least four times before in other countries where the police seemed to look the other way. But she remained in her relationship with Varlamov, hopeful that he could change, as she loved him and hoped to have children with him. She said she broke a modeling contract in Hong Kong so she could come to Denver to be with him "because he asked her to," [Interpreter Diana] Senova said.

Speaking with reporters after practice on Thursday, Avalanche head coach Patrick Roy didn't have all of the information on the case to make a full comment, but did say, "We’re going to take it one day at a time like we have been doing it all year long." Players weren't giving any comment on the situation either.

The Avalanche return home on Saturday to face the Montreal Canadiens and in a normal situation you'd expect Varlamov to start that game the night after the 36-year old Giguere plays, but it remains to be seen how Roy will handle the goaltender rotation. A third netminder was not called up from their AHL club as insurance.

Saturday's game also marks the retirement of Adam Foote's No. 52, and starting Varlamov would likely overshadow the attention on the franchise's former captain.

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Sean Leahy is the associate editor for Puck Daddy on Yahoo Sports. Have a tip? Email him at puckdaddyblog@yahoo.com or follow him on Twitter!

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