Game Preview: Avalanche vs. Bruins

COLORADO AVALANCHE (13-9-1) AT BOSTON BRUINS (20-3-1)
7 PM MT | BALL ARENAWATCH:ALTITUDELISTEN: 92.5FM/950 AM
Wednesday night's game is the final of two meetings between the Colorado Avalanche and the Boston Bruins. Puck drop is set for 7 P.M. MT at Ball Arena.

LAST TIME OUT

The Avalanche concluded their four-game road trip with a 5-3 loss to the Philadelphia Flyers. Skating in his 100th career game, center Alex Newhook scored twice, including once on the power play. Mikko Rantanen scored the team's other goal, bringing his season total to 15 and tied for seventh leaguewide. Goaltender Alexandar Georgiev stopped 29 of 33 shot attempts. Nathan MacKinnon suffered an upper-body injury (and will be out for four weeks) in the first period against Philadelphia and did not return.
The Boston Bruins were bested by the Vegas Golden Knights on Monday night, bringing their NHL record 14-game home winning streak to a halt via a 4-3 loss in shootout. Forwards Brad Marchand, David Pastrnak and Taylor Hall would all score, with Hall scoring in the third period on the power play to tie the game and send it to overtime. Goalie Jeremy Swayman turned away 21 of the 24 shots he faced.

HISTORY

Wednesday night's matchup is the 151st between the two franchises, with Colorado amassing a 61-74-16 record against the Bs. Since the franchise moved to Colorado, the Avalanche are 25-12-2 against the Bruins.

SCOUTING THE BRUINS

Right winger David Pastrnak is the team's leader in both goals (17) and points (35). Pastrnak's 35 points are good for fifth-best leaguewide. Center Patrice Bergeron and left winger Brad Marchand are tied for second on the team in points with 21. Bergeron has tallied nine goals and 12 assists, while Marchand has notched eight goals and 13 assists.

CONNECTIONS

Head coach Jim Montgomery was the head coach of the University of Denver for five seasons from 2013-2018 with a 125-57-26 record in 208 games behind that bench. He guided the team to appearances in the NCAA Frozen Four in 2016 and won the title in 2017. He was also the NCAA Coach of the Year in that championship season.
Assistant coach Joe Sacco was named head coach of the Avalanche on June 4, 2009. The 2010 Jack Adams Award finalist served in that position for four seasons with a record of 130-134-40 behind the Avalanche bench.

LINEUP UPDATES

Avalanche
Nathan MacKinnonUpper body
Gabriel Landeskog Lower body
Darren Helm Lower body
Valeri NichushkinLower body
Bowen ByramUnknown
Shane BowersUpper body
Kurtis MacDermidLower body
Bruins
Craig SmithUpper body

DOING THE MOST

Center Nathan MacKinnon paces the team in career points against the Bruins with 12 (5G/7A) in 17 games played. Left winger Gabriel Landeskog is second with 10 (5G/5A), in 16 games played.

BEHIND ENEMY LINES

Center Patrice Bergeron leads the Bruins in career points against the Avalanche with 17 (3G/14A) in 21 appearances. Left winger Brad Marchand (6G/7A in 17 games played) and center David Krejci (3G/10A in 18 games played) are tied for second with 13.

NUMBERS GAME

1 st
The Avalanche are #1 in the league in power play percentage, converting 31.8% of their opportunities so far.
2 nd
Mikko Rantanen is tied for second in goals among right wingers with 15.
3 rd
Rantanten is third in points among all right wingers in the NHL with 32.
4 th
Goaltender Alexandar Georgiev is tied for fourth leaguewide in goalie wins (11).

QUOTES THAT LEFT A MARK

"We have the skill, we have the drive, the determination. I think that's what we saw last year in our playoff run and still deep within our team. We're never out 'till we're out." - Center Alex Newhook on the fight in the Avs
"No one's gonna feel sorry for us, you just gotta go out and play our best." - Avalacnche Head Coach Jared Bednar on the team's injuries