DENVER — Avalanche goalie Semyon Varlamov missed Tuesday's practice because of illness and wasn't available to back up Jonathan Bernier on Wednesday against the visiting Dallas Stars, so the Avalanche made an emergency recall and flew in recently acquired Andrew Hammond from the East Coast.
Hammond, who was obtained from Ottawa on Nov. 4 in the three-team trade that centered around Matt Duchene, boarded a 7:30 a.m. ET flight Wednesday in Charlotte, N.C., where the Belleview Senators — Ottawa's American Hockey League affiliate — were preparing to play the Charlotte Checkers on Wednesday. Hammond participated in the Avalanche's morning skate 20 minutes after he arrived at the Pepsi Center.