The Boston Bruins have been fighting the injury bug in recent games, while battling to remain among the playoff contenders with less than three months remaining in the regular season.
After producing one of their most complete efforts of the season, the Bruins are looking for more as a run of three straight games against playoff-level competition continues with a Saturday afternoon visit from the Colorado Avalanche.
Boston is coming off a 2-0 victory Thursday over their Atlantic Division rival Ottawa Senators, while still playing without top defensemen Hampus Lindholm and Charlie McAvoy. Goaltender Jeremy Swayman (upper body) also was added to the injury report.
“We can play a full 60 minutes with focus and with good defense,” Bruins winger David Pastrnak said. “When we are dialed like this, playing like that, I think we can beat anybody in the league.”
Andrew Peeke and Mason Lohrei have stepped into elevated roles on the back end for Boston. Joonas Korpisalo stepped up with 29 saves against Ottawa for his third shutout of the season, his career best in a single season.
“The great thing about this league is that players want more, and so it’s an opportunity … to see how they handle it,” Bruins interim coach Joe Sacco said. “The biggest thing is not to change your game just because your minutes have increased, or your role has changed.”
Sacco is “cautiously optimistic” that Swayman can be an option in goal on Saturday.
The strong play of Pastrnak has been a key reason for Boston’s 4-1-1 run, while producing with linemates Morgan Geekie and Pavel Zacha. Pastrnak is on a six-game point streak (six goals, eight assists), while Geekie and Zacha have combined for 13 points in the same stretch.
Geekie has scored in four of those games, including back-to-back.
“Our line has been playing the right way the last couple of games and we’re getting rewarded right now … and hopefully we can keep building on that,” Pastrnak said.
While the Bruins vaulted back into a top-three Atlantic Division position on Thursday, the Avalanche will begin their three-game road trip with a strong grasp of the No. 1 spot of the Western Conference wild-card standings despite winning just two of the past six games (2-3-1).
Colorado’s last game was a 3-2 overtime loss to the Winnipeg Jets on Wednesday.
Nathan MacKinnon scored his second goal in as many games for the Avs and Cale Makar added his third goal in the last three games, but inconsistencies have contributed to the team’s recent sub-.500 stretch.
“We’re struggling to get everyone playing well at the same time,” coach Jared Bednar said. “Coming off a stretch where we were really good for a long time (in December), we’re kind of riding the roller coaster here on this homestand, and even before that.”
Confidence still remains in the group.
“I don’t think (Wednesday was) near our best one bit, but good enough to be in the game and have a chance to win,” defenseman Devon Toews said. “So you play like that most nights and give yourself a good chance.”
Massachusetts natives Miles Wood and Chris Wagner are both in Colorado’s mix this weekend to provide a solid veteran presence at forward. The game in Boston begins a back-to-back, as the Avs visit the New York Rangers on Sunday.
Wood could see his first game action since Nov. 27 (back injury) as early as Saturday. Wagner was just recalled from the AHL.
“It’s good to have (Wood) back, good to have (Wagner) back,” Bednar said. “Both guys can help us in different areas, including on the penalty kill. Gives us a couple of extra killers with (Valeri Nichushkin) out of the lineup.”
Nichushkin is week-to-week due to a lower-body injury.
–Field Level Media
