The last time the Bruins and Avalanche met, Colorado handed Boston its first regulation loss of the season.
Almost two months later, and the Bruins have lost just twice more in regulation all year. The Avalanche, still a favorite in the west, have dealt with injuries, but are mostly healthy now.
It was way too early then, and it still is, to call it a Cup Final preview, but there’s no doubt a fully healthy Bruins – Avalanche matchup is one of the most entertaining possibilities in the league.
“Very good team,” said Jake DeBrusk. “It’s one of those things where we don’t see the West teams too much, but I’m a fan of hockey and I’ve been watching the last couple games. They’re definitely a good team, good forwards and a goaltender who’s been playing very well right now.”
It’s not that Colorado has gone the opposite direction since their meeting on October 11, but the injury bug bit them hard, especially their best players. They survived that period still just four points behind the once-surging Blues in the Central Division.
The Bruins have suffered injuries as well, but nothing serious behind the now six-game stretch Patrice Bergeron has missed. Since the loss in Colorado, when the Bruins led 2-0 only to allow four consecutive goals — and have two taken off the board via review — the Bruins have lost just twice more in regulation, with back-to-back defeats in Montreal and Detroit.
Since they came back with three straight tallies in the third against the Blackhawks on Thursday, the B’s still haven’t lost in regulation at home.
The Avs are one of their tougher opponents to date, though, and at the least, one of their most entertaining.
Game notes
Brett Ritchie will return to the lineup after battling an infection the past few weeks, but Bruins head coach Bruce Cassidy wasn’t sure who he will sub in for.
“He’s been working really hard in practice, he looks good,” Cassidy said of Ritchie. “The good thing about him is it hasn’t been a really serious injury that’s kept him out, but unfortunately not enough reps, so we’re not sure on chemistry. But hopefully this is it and it works itself out because it’s a question we want answered one way or another.”
The rest of the lineup will stay the same, including the blue line, where John Moore made his season debut on Thursday night.
Jaroslav Halak starts in net.
About the Avalanche
The Avalanche (18-8-2) have won five games in a row, and with Mikko Rantanen and Gabriel Landeskog back, boast one of the best forward groups in the NHL.
They have the third-highest goal differential in the league at plus-25, just behind the Capitals and Bruins.
Rantanen has posted six points in his three games since returning to the ice, while Landeskog returned from a 16-game absence on Thursday night in Montreal. Nathan MacKinnon has helped pace the Avs to the highest goals per game in the NHL.
