All is not well in Beantown. The Boston Bruins have started the new season with a hat-trick of losses, sinking them to the bottom of the Atlantic Division. After making some big changes during the offseason, the Bruins could be forced to make even more drastic moves if they lose their first four games for the first time in 51 years.
Can the Bruins finally break out of their slump against the high-scoring Colorado Avalanche? Read on for our preview of this pivotal early season game for the B’s. Also, don’t forget to check out our previews of Wednesday’s NHL action, with the Blackhawks vs. Flyers and the Coyotes vs. Ducks.
[sc:NHLArticles ]Boston Bruins vs. Colorado Avalanche Betting Preview
Where: Pepsi Center, Denver
When: Wednesday, October 14, 2015 10:00 PM ET
Line: Boston Bruins (+120) at Colorado Avalanche (-140); total 5.0 – view all NHL lines
Betting on the Boston Bruins
It’s just three games into the season, but the early signs are not looking good for the Bruins. The warning signs were there after they missed out on the postseason last year. Now, Boston has started this one with three straight losses.
[sc:NHL240 ]Granted, those losses were against the Jets, Canadiens and Lightning, all of whom were playoff teams last season, but all three games were in Boston and the Bruins were still battered. 2013-14 Veniza Trophy winner Tuuka Rask has already given up 16 goals through those three games, easily the worst defensive record in the NHL.
He hasn’t been helped by a subpar blue line which lost Dougie Hamilton, their young defenseman who was traded to Calgary in the offseason. 38-year-old veteran Zdeno Chara, who missed the first two games with an upper body injury, was a minus-2 in his return against Tampa Bay.
Meanwhile, the Bruins offense isn’t in much better shape. Milan Lucic is now with the Los Angeles Kings, while Brad Marchand is out indefinitely due to a concussion. Center David Krejci has been doing his best to keep them afloat with five points (two goals and three assists), but he needs help, especially if the Bruins defense keeps conceding over five goals per game.
With their backs against the wall, the Bruins will be desperate to bounce back and get back on track. But with all the problems the team is currently facing, it doesn’t seem like that bounce back performance is coming any time soon.
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Betting on the Colorado Avalanche
After suffering a disastrous collapse in their season opener against the Wild – one that saw them give up four unanswered goals in the third period to lose 5-4 – the Avs got back on track with a convincing 6-3 win over the Dallas Stars.
Gabriel Landeskog starred with four points (two goals and two assists), while Nathan MacKinnon added a goal and two assists. Landeskog and MacKinnon have been on fire this season, and are both tied for second place in the league with five points.
They’re also joined in second place by free agent acquisition Francois Beauchemin. The former Anaheim Duck is the top-scoring defenseman in the league so far with five assists.
It’s still early, but with 10 goals in two games, the Avs are showing signs of being the offensive force they were back in 2013-14. That year, they scored 250 goals (third most in the West) and won the Central Division.
Colorado has had a bit of success against Boston in recent years, going 4-1 in their last five meetings. Don’t be surprised if this young and attack-minded Avs team pounces quickly and further demoralizes the already fragile Bruins. Seven of the Avs’ 10 goals so far have come in the first two periods.
Writer’s Prediction
The Avs (-140) pile on the misery for the Bruins, who go down 4-1 in Colorado.
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