Kuemper_Francouz

DENVER -- Darcy Kuemper is fully healthy and available to play for the Colorado Avalanche in the Stanley Cup Final, but it's unclear if he or Pavel Francouz will start Game 1.

"It's a tough decision," coach Jared Bednar said Thursday. "There'll be conversations about it. We'll make a decision and go from there."
Kuemper started all but one of the Avalanche's first 11 postseason games but left in the second period of Game 1 of the Western Conference Final against the Edmonton Oilers with an upper-body injury.
Francouz relieved him in that game and started the next three, helping the Avalanche sweep the Oilers and reach the Final for the first time since 2001.
Kuemper, who backed up Francouz in Game 4, said there are no health issues.
"[I'm] seeing [the puck] really good," Kuemper said. "It's all taken care of 100 percent."
Though he wouldn't elaborate on the injury, Kuemper did confirm that he gave head trainer Matt Sokolowski prior notice of his need to be relieved in Game 1 so Francouz could prepare to enter the game.
The Avalanche were winning 6-3 when Kuemper exited at 7:19.
"I just talked to Matty that something was up, and I didn't want to throw 'Frankie' in there unexpectedly," Kuemper said." So I told him to tell Frankie to start getting ready and at the TV timeout make the switch."
Francouz helped the Avalanche to an 8-6 win in Game 1. He also came on in relief in Game 3 of their first-round series sweep against the Nashville Predators when Kuemper took a stick to eye. Francouz also started Game 4 of that series.
"It's never fun watching from the sideline, especially in big games, but 'Frankie' came in, did a great job," Kuemper said. "It was great watching the guys go out there and get wins and handle the series, and it was nice to get back in the lineup for that last game and be a part of it.
"It's always tough to watch from the sidelines and you want to be out there contributing, but when things are going well, like you said, and the team is winning, then you feel a lot more comforted by it, and you don't have that regret that you're letting anyone down."
Kuemper is 6-2 with a 2.65 goals-against average and .897 save percentage in 10 playoff games. Francouz is 6-0 with a 2.86 goals-against average and .906 save percentage in six playoff games.
"They're still being evaluated for sure," Bednar said. "The body of work now is done. This is rest and preparation.
"My criteria is I look at their body of work and pick my starter. Simple."
The Avalanche will face either the New York Rangers or Tampa Bay Lightning in the Cup Final; the Lightning took a 3-2 series lead in the Eastern Conference Final with a 3-1 win in Game 5 at New York on Thursday.
Colorado, which completed the sweep of Edmonton on Monday, could have an 11-day layoff between games.