Calvin Pickard has been named Thursday's starter against the Stars.

Pickard has been named Thursday's starter against the Stars.

Analysis:

Pickard shined in relief Monday when he set aside 23 of the 24 shots that came his way. He will look to build on that effort in another struggle with a high-powered oppnent -- the Stars lead the league with 3.23 goals per game. However, the Avalanche have dropped each of their last four tilts, while the Stars remain in a battle for playoff positioning. Considering Pickard's road splits (2.89 GAA, .902 save percentage) and his poor outing against the opposition earlier in the season, it's probably best to look elsewhere for a netminder in a heavy slate of games.