While Semyon Varlamov stands in goal for the Colorado Avalanche, he also stands accused of assaulting a woman. His focus will be on stopping the puck, because he cannot stop what people might think about him: Is Varlamov a good goalie but a bad man?

“The life of a professional athlete is public. Truth is truth. Lying is lying,” Varlamov said Tuesday. “Sometimes life puts you in a good situation. Sometimes life puts you in a bad situation. You can’t listen to everybody.”

We stood face to face, no more than 18 inches apart, in the Colorado locker room. The voice of Varlamov was subdued and calm. His eyes never ran from any question. When reaching for difficult answers, he would comb his fingers through hair sweaty from practice.

Although the Avs would have a more than capable alternative between the pipes if the team played Jean-Sebastien Giguere, team management has been adamant in its support of Varlamov.

Patrick Roy has guided the Avalanche to a remarkable 12-1 start to his rookie season as coach. He shook the glass between the team benches on opening night, and began shaking the NHL’s perception of a long-suffering franchise. But by far the biggest and boldest move Roy has made is sticking his neck out in defense of Varlamov.

From his first day on the job, Roy has stressed to players that their relationship will be built on trust and respect. To remain true to those principles, Roy insisted he had no choice except to play Varlamov, if the coach truly believes the goalie is innocent until given his day in a court of law.

“It’s nice to see my head coach supporting me,” Varlamov said.

Did the goalie drunkenly attack his girlfriend last week in a Denver apartment they shared? Did Varlamov kick her, drag her by her hair and laugh? That’s the story 24-year-old Evgeniya Vavrinyuk told police.

“As we speak, we have different info that makes us believe we should trust him,” Roy said.

It is clear Avalanche management refuses to believe Vavrin- yuk’s version of events. But an inquiry by an NHL team is not a police investigation. Roy understands there are details of a failed relationship that might escape him, and realizes if the charges prove to be true, the team would be embarrassed and the consequences for Varlamov would be severe.

“I’m not in a position to make a judgment of: Is he right? Or is he wrong?” Roy said.

While the victories have been piled high, how the Avs deal with this controversy will be the first major test of Roy’s leadership skills.

“I always try to be fair to the team first. Not to me. Not to a player individually. I try to be fair to the Colorado Avalanche. Every time you make a decision, it involves 23 players and I honestly think I need to be fair to the group,” Roy said. “After all the information that I had, and after my conversation with (Varlamov), I thought it was not up to us to make a judgment. It was for the legal system to make a decision.”

While prosecutors consider whether to charge Varlamov with domestic violence, the 25-year-old Russian goaltender will start for the Avalanche against the Nashville Predators in his home arena Wednesday night. He does not know if the crowd will cheer or boo him. He will hear, but cannot afford to listen.

“It depends how strong you are inside, how strong mentally,” Varlamov said. “Life is life. It doesn’t matter what happens, I have to stay focused on my job.”

Varlamov understands the deal in America: The court of law moves slowly and deliberately. The court of public opinion moves faster than the speed of gossip.

The Avs trust their faith in their goalie will be rewarded.

The puck stops with Varlamov.

The buck stops on the desk of Roy.

Mark Kiszla: mkiszla@denverpost.com or twitter.com/markkiszla