The Colorado Avalanche have been served a steady diet of Eastern Conference opponents here in the fledgling stages of the 2025-2026 season. Today, they go for seconds in Boston against the Bruins to kick
off the first half of a back-to-back set this weekend.
Colorado Avalanche (5-0-3)
The Opponent: Boston Bruins (3-6-0)
Time: 1:00 P.M. MDT/3:00 P.M. EDT
Watch: ALT, NESN, NHLN
Listen: Altitude Sports Radio KKSE-FM 92.5 FM
Colorado Avalanche
Heading into their previous match-up last Saturday at Ball Arena, the Avalanche were looking to break a three game losing streak against Boston. Things didn’t look promising early on, as John Beecher gave Boston a lead just over three minutes into the first period. However, a two goal outing from Nathan MacKinnon and a three point effort from Artturi Lehkonen would power the Avalanche to a 4-1 victory. The Avs held the Bruins to a paltry seven shots on goal through the second and third period combined, and extended their unbeaten streak against the Eastern Conference on home ice to eight games.
The Avalanche had been playing some very impressive hockey coming into this past week, so a drop-off in their game was bound to happen sooner or later. They dug holes for themselves against the Utah Mammoth this past Tuesday, and again this past Thursday against the Carolina Hurricanes. With the Avs trailing in the third period in both games, Martin Nečas and Valeri Nichushkin provided tying goals against Utah and Carolina, respectively, where opportunities to secure victory were there for the taking. Unfortunately, the Avs couldn’t complete the comeback in both games, culminating in an abrupt overtime loss to Utah and a shootout loss to Carolina.
Despite playing some of their worst hockey to this point in the season, there were some positives that the Avalanche can build on. When it looked like both games were destined for regulation losses, they managed to salvage a point in each game to continue banking valuable points in the Central Division landscape. Scott Wedgewood didn’t have his strongest performances this week, but the Avs managed to position themselves to snatch victory from the jaws of defeat despite coming up short in both games. Trent Miner had an admirable effort in relief during his first taste of regular season action against Carolina, allowing no goals in through regulation or overtime, and surrendering only one goal in the shootout session. Instead of folding against both Utah and Carolina, and they demonstrated that they can put themselves in a position to win when the deck is stacked against them.
(Of course, it helps when they don’t stack the deck themselves.)
Coming into this afternoon’s game against Boston, the Avs remain atop the Central Division, sitting just one point ahead of Winnipeg and Utah (both teams sit in second and third place, respectively). A win today in Boston would give them a welcome boost of confidence, not to mention preserve their slim division lead, before heading to New Jersey to face the Devils on Sunday.
The Avs remain one of only two teams without a regulation loss this season (Vegas is the other).
Projected Lineup*
Forwards:
Artturi Lehkonen – Nathan MacKinnon – Martin Nečas
Gabe Landeskog – Brock Nelson – Valeri Nichushkin
Ross Colton – Jack Drury – Victor Olofsson
Zakhar Bardakov – Parker Kelly – Gavin Brindley
Defense:
Cale Makar – Devon Toews
Josh Manson – Brent Burns
Ilya Solovyov – Sam Malinski
Between the Pipes:
Scott Wedgewood
Trent Miner
*The Avs recalled Jack Ahcan and Danil Gushchin from Loveland prior to leaving Denver. It is currently unclear as to whether either player will see action this weekend.
Boston Bruins
After the 4-1 loss to Colorado last Saturday, Boston has continued to struggle. Consecutive losses against Utah, Florida, and Anaheim have extended their current losing streak to six straight games. Their offensive game has been sound, as they’ve scored at least two goals in the past three games since facing Colorado. David Pastrnak recorded six points in the previous three games (3G/3A/6PTS) and remains the team’s leader in goals (5), assists (7), and points (12). Pavel Zacha is second in team scoring with two goals and seven assists for a total of nine points. Former Avalanche center Casey Mittelstadt is tied with Elias Lindholm for third place in goals scored (3).
Boston’s goaltending tandem has also struggled this week. Joonas Korpisalo has started two of the previous three games for Boston: a 3-2 decision against Utah this past Sunday, and a 7-5 decision against in Anaheim this past Thursday. Jeremy Swayman saw action in a 4-3 defeat this past Tuesday at the hands of former captain Brad Marchand and the defending Stanley Cup Champion Florida Panthers. He was in goal in the loss to Colorado last week, and will likely return to the crease today.
Today’s game wraps up a three game homestand at TD Garden. Boston will head to Ottawa to face the Senators on Monday before returning home for a match-up against the New York Islanders the following night. Currently in seventh place in the Atlantic Division, a win today would keep them ahead of last place Tampa Bay, who are action tonight against Anaheim.
Projected Lineup
Forwards:
Morgan Geekie – Elias Lindholm – David Pastrnak
Pavel Zacha – Casey Mittelstadt – Viktor Arvidsson
Tanner Jeannot – Fraser Minten – Michael Eyssimont
Jeffrey Truchon-Viel – Sean Kuraly – Mark Kastelic
Defense:
Mason Lohrei – Charlie McAvoy
Nikita Zadorov – Henri Jokiharju
Jordan Harris – Andrew Peeke
Between the Pipes:
Jeremy Swayman
Joonas Korpisalo
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