Bruins Outlast Avalanche In Denver (10/16/24)

Two days after an ignominious defeat at the hands of the Florida Panthers, the Boston Bruins rebounded against the winless Colorado Avalanche. The Avalanche took advantage of THREE power play goals off dumb Bruins penalties, but Boston hung on. Cole Koepke started the scoring and after the Avalanche tied it, Charlie Coyle pumped in his first goal of the year. The Bruins struck halfway through the second period when Hampus Lindholm and David Pastrnak scored just 13 seconds apart to put the Bruins up three goals. The Avalanche scored the next two to pull within one, but Joonas Korpisalo in net and an empty net goal by John Beecher was enough for the Bruins to hang on. Colorado remained winless on the season as the Bruins won the game 5-3 at Ball Arena.

                                                               Bruins take down the Avs

The Avs got the first big chance one minute into the game when ex-Boston College alum Miles Wood broke away for a goal attempt, but it was stopped by Joonas Korpisalo. The Bruins got the first power play 2:32 into the game when Parker Kelly got bagged for interference. Hampus Lindholm had a good chance but it was stopped by Colorado goalie Alexandar Georgiev. Halfway through the period, Nathan MacKinnon was robbed point blank by Korpisalo after his first shot went off Brandon Carlo. The Bruins struck first with just over six minutes left in the period. Nikita Zadorov passed it to Andrew Peeke. Peeke fired on net and the puck was tipped in by Cole Koepke to put the Bruins on top. Just over a minute later, Riley Tufte got bagged for holding with 5:12 left in the period. Cale Makar passed to Ross Colton. Colton passed to Mikko Rantanen who passed it back to Colton for the one time blast, scoring to tie the game on the power play. Then the Avs screwed up when Oliver Kylington was sent to the box for holding with 3:20 left in the first. On the power play, Mason Lohrei got the puck and skated into the zone, finding Charlie Coyle streaking to the net and hit his stick perfectly. Coyle dumped it in for his first goal of the season to put Boston ahead again. Just before the period ended, Makar had Korpisalo beat clean but the shot rang off the post and out. That was it for the period with the Bruins still ahead 2-1.

                                                     Bruins take it to Colorado early

Georgiev had to make a big save early when Lindholm's blast went off his pad right to Trent Frederic but he failed to score on the rebound. Georgiev then stopped Pastrnak on a breakaway as well. Five minutes into the period, Zacha had a wide open breakaway with no one around him but Georgiev stoned him cold. Two minutes later Georgiev totally robbed Koepke on the doorstep as well. The Bruins caught a break when Rantanen got sent to the box for interference 7:32 into the period. On the power play, Marchand passed to Hampus Lindholm. He fired it on net and Pastrnak tipped it home for the goal to put the Bruins up by two. Just 13 seconds later, the puck was kicked to Hampus Lindholm and his shot went through the skates of Kastelic, through the pads of Georgiev for his first goal of the season. Then we got some fisticuffs as Zadorov got whistled for slashing Mathew Steinburg. Steinburg took exception and said to put em up! After a nice back and forth fight, the Avs went on the power play. MacKinnon passed it to Rantanen who found Makar at the point for the power play goal. The Bruins held the rest of the period to take a 4-2 lead going into the third period.

                                                            Mayhem at the Bell

The Bruins got a quick power play just 1:42 into the third period when Rantanen went off for hooking. The Bruins failed to score on the power play but the Bruins made a big mistake. Tufte got whistled for cross-checking 4:29 into the period. On the power play, MacKinnon passed to Makar. Makar passed it to Rantanen. His slapshot was good for a goal to pull the Avs within one. The Bruins defense then stoned the Avs cold the rest of the way with Korpisalo making some big stops. Then with just over two minutes left, the Avs pulled Georgiev. Beecher stole the puck from MacKinnon and shot it into the net for the empty net goal to put the Bruins back up by two. Colorado pulled Georgiev again and Korpisalo had to stop Makar again. That was it and the Bruins had won the game 5-3.

                                                            Big win

Reaction:

Good bounce back win by the Bruins and it came at a good time. The Avs are struggling to begin the season and the Bruins got a big road win on the team that won the Stanley Cup three years ago. They got a team effort all around with Pastrnak, Coyle, Lindholm and others getting in on the fun. Korpisalo continued to be an enigma as he allowed a really soft goal to Rantanen but made some unbelievable stops as well. If he can be a servicable backup to Jeremy Swayman going forward, it'll soften the blow of losing Linus Ullmark. Mark Kastelic is already becoming a fan favorite in Boston so it would be nice if Korpisalo lives up to his contract. As long as the Bruins stay healthy, they can compete with the other teams in the Atlantic.....except Florida. The Bruins now make their debut in the state of Utah when they face the Utah Hockey Club this Saturday night. The game begins at 9:00 PM Eastern time at Delta Center.