Stanley Cup of Chowder - Full Coverage: Bruins vs. AvalancheDavid Pastrnak is legend.https://cdn.vox-cdn.com/community_logos/11233/stanley-fave.jpg2016-12-09T05:00:02-05:00http://www.stanleycupofchowder.com/rss/stream/136463012016-12-09T05:00:02-05:002016-12-09T05:00:02-05:00Bruins start slow, can’t catch up against Avs
<figure>
<img alt="Colorado Avalanche v Boston Bruins" src="https://cdn.vox-cdn.com/thumbor/zwPqOn0ZMrHBWsqPTcz4jQ44mLg=/0x0:2901x1934/1310x873/cdn.vox-cdn.com/uploads/chorus_image/image/52210479/628645896.0.jpeg" />
<figcaption>Photo by Maddie Meyer/Getty Images</figcaption>
</figure>
<p>Perhaps the B’s can try NOT falling behind 3-0 in the next game...</p> <p id="d9XOsQ">Those who don’t learn from history are doomed to repeat it, right?</p>
<p id="T0oDqo">The Bruins didn’t learn Wednesday night, and repeated it last night.</p>
<p id="6e5eNB">After falling behind 3-0 to Washington and clawing back to earn a point in a shootout loss, the Bruins fell behind 3-0 again last night and, in spite of the Herculean effort of David Pastrnak, couldn’t complete the comeback, falling 4-2 to the Avalanche.</p>
<p id="eL2flh">The win was Colorado’s first since before Thanksgiving.</p>
<p id="ZvXOUJ">The Bruins came out flat, with the fourth line being the only unit to really generate chances in early in the first. </p>
<p id="AVY6XH">After Pastrnak and Nikita Zadorov were called for matching minors, the Bruins had a dumpster fire of a shift that got things moving in the wrong direction.</p>
<p id="iST6YF">Ryan Spooner couldn’t get control of the puck in the offensive zone, losing it to Matt Duchene; Duchene skated up the ice, drifted across the slot and found a ton of space, beating Anton Khudobin clean with a wrister.</p>
<p id="x2BrjQ">The backcheck from Spooner wasn’t ideal, nor was Kevan Miller sliding across the ice in a feeble attempt to discourage a Duchene shot.</p>
<p id="41z8S2">Things didn’t get better from there. </p>
<p id="QNTQe5">Nathan Mackinnon’s shorthanded wrister was one that Krug (diving to keep a puck in the zone) and Khudobin (beaten cleanly from decent range) would like to have back; John Mitchell’s goal came after Brandon Carlo’s directed his dump-in attempt directly into Mitchell’s shin pads.</p>
<p id="VoQeOc">The Bruins clawed their way back again, but looked gassed by the end of the game and couldn’t solve Calvin Pickard. </p>
<p id="YJtpCv">A disappointing loss, especially considering the Avs began the night in 30th place in the NHL. However, the blow of the loss is softened by the 4-0-2 run that came before it.</p>
<h3 id="Fx7K1n">Random notes</h3>
<ul>
<li id="Df5aNE">David Pastrnak is incredible. That is all.</li>
<li id="YcQfzj">Pastrnak is going to need help. The kid is shouldering the load offensively for the Bruins right now, and it isn’t going to last. Pastrnak isn’t going to shoot 20% for the rest of the season (or maybe he is, who knows). Right now, too many big names aren’t carrying their weight in the offensive zone. Most Bruins fans turn toward blaming Jimmy Hayes for that; while it’s true Hayes has had a disappointing season, guys like Krejci, Bergeron, Marchand and Backes should be producing more as well.</li>
<li id="1aHORo">The power play is a disaster, and could use an overhaul. Colin Miller’s PPG last night came during the the “punt it” period of the PP, with just seconds left. Tonight, the power play was dreadful. It hurt more than it helped, with too many passes and not enough movement. The Bruins have lived and died with the bumper play, hinged on Patrice Bergeron. Teams have caught on, and no one has filled Loui Eriksson’s net-front role. Given his hot streak, it’s probably time to move Pastrnak to the first unit (and may bring Marchand with him) and to rethink Austin Czarnik’s role on the PP.</li>
<li id="VxayDR">Riley Nash was the Bruins’ only sub-50% CF player, checking in at 47.37%.</li>
<li id="j1xOLl">It’s tempting to consider this an overreaction to one loss, but it might be time for Claude Julien to do something about the forward lines.</li>
<li id="MH1l5G">A good third line eases the strain on the top two lines. The Bruins’ third hasn’t been very good. Czarnik has one point (an assist) since Thanksgiving, and that was on the power play; Riley Nash has one point since Veterans Day; Ryan Spooner has two assists since Thanksgiving. </li>
<li id="5fsdJP">Combine that third line with a frequently bad possession-wise second line and a fourth line with some interesting parts, and you could blend up some different combinations. Anton Blidh with Spooner and Czarnik? Krejci with Backes and Hayes? There are plenty of options, but trying something new can’t lead to less production than the Bruins are getting now.</li>
</ul>
https://www.stanleycupofchowder.com/2016/12/9/13877364/bruins-avalanche-recap-bruins-point-streak-ends-slow-start-dooms-bruins-vs-avalancheDan.Ryan2016-12-08T21:35:26-05:002016-12-08T21:35:26-05:00Rank the Bruins vs. Colorado!
<figure>
<img alt="Colorado Avalanche v Boston Bruins" src="https://cdn.vox-cdn.com/thumbor/_e76YNO71Ad8qsASWNqCVDPO3zU=/0x0:3420x2280/1310x873/cdn.vox-cdn.com/uploads/chorus_image/image/52208041/497402194.0.jpeg" />
<figcaption>Photo by Maddie Meyer/Getty Images</figcaption>
</figure>
<p>YOU DECIDE.</p> <div id="PBPVY6">
<div class="rnkrw-widget" data-rnkrw-id="2490456" data-rnkrw-format="grid" data-rnkrw-rows="999"></div>
<script id="rnkrw-loader" type="text/javascript" async="" src="//widget.ranker.com/static/rnkrw2.js"></script>
</div>
https://www.stanleycupofchowder.com/2016/12/8/13894246/boston-bruins-colorado-avalanche-rank-the-players-vote-on-the-bruins-performanceDan.Ryan2016-12-08T16:00:02-05:002016-12-08T16:00:02-05:00Public Skate: Bruins vs. Avalanche
<figure>
<img alt="Colorado Avalanche v Boston Bruins" src="https://cdn.vox-cdn.com/thumbor/JajW0ayltrXNECbi11eVfgl1Htk=/0x136:4002x2804/1310x873/cdn.vox-cdn.com/uploads/chorus_image/image/52202717/497402060.0.jpeg" />
<figcaption>Photo by Maddie Meyer/Getty Images</figcaption>
</figure>
<p>Can the B’s extend their point streak against the league’s worst team?</p> <p id="8MTN1K">I didn’t think the Avalanche would be as bad as they are. Let’s see if the Bruins make them look like All-Stars.</p>
<p id="sudY68">DISCUSS.</p>
https://www.stanleycupofchowder.com/2016/12/8/13889714/public-skate-bruins-avalanche-discussion-thread-tom-wilson-is-terribleDan.Ryan2016-12-08T08:15:01-05:002016-12-08T08:15:01-05:00Bruins vs. Avalanche Preview: SODERMANIA
<figure>
<img alt="NHL: Colorado Avalanche at Columbus Blue Jackets" src="https://cdn.vox-cdn.com/thumbor/ixgHLQh9qgQFol4XPR5iNqMqGVQ=/0x0:2858x1905/1310x873/cdn.vox-cdn.com/uploads/chorus_image/image/52193361/usa_today_9705106.0.jpeg" />
<figcaption>Aaron Doster-USA TODAY Sports</figcaption>
</figure>
<p>Carl & Co. come to town, a little banged up</p> <h3 id="zKklt2">Just the facts:</h3>
<p id="WsQhi6"><strong>What:</strong> A hockey game!</p>
<p id="3rBRWg"><strong>Where: </strong>TD Garden - Boston, MA</p>
<p id="f2htLR"><strong>When:</strong> 7 PM</p>
<p id="WIsfEc"><strong>How to follow:</strong> NESN, Altitude, 98.5 The Sports Hub</p>
<p id="evB2RZ"><strong>Rival SBN site: </strong><a href="http://www.milehighhockey.com/">Mile High Hockey</a></p>
<h3 id="9E4u2C">Team leaders:</h3>
<ul>
<li id="e6uPcR">Nathan Mackinnon - 6G, 11A, 17PTS</li>
<li id="d7ppd1">Matt Duchene - 9G, 7A, 16PTS</li>
<li id="HrcuSS">Tyson Barrie - 2G, 10A, 12PTS</li>
</ul>
<h3 id="DIUUlz">Game notes:</h3>
<ul>
<li id="vOU4Uy">The Bruins beat the Avs 2-0 in Denver back in November. David Krejci and Dominic Moore scored. It was nice.</li>
<li id="vOU4Uy">ALL HAIL CARL, CARL IS BACK. Carl Soderberg is back in town with the Colorado Avalanche tonight. It hasn’t been a great go of things for Carl out in Colorado. Carl has just 3 goals and 4 assists in 24 games...for $5mil a year. YIKES.</li>
<li id="fMhgcm">The Avs appear to be battling the flu bug/illness that seems to be traveling around the NHL right now. Tyson Barrie, Matt Duchene, Gabriel Landeskog and Nathan Mackinnon are all among the potentially ill, according to <a href="https://twitter.com/lukeasteer/status/806617650759684100">a SBN pal at Mile High Hockey</a>. Having one of your best players at half speed isn’t ideal; having FOUR of your best players ill at once? DOUBLE YIKES.</li>
<li id="ZNXAsX">The Avalanche are currently the worst team in the NHL with just 19 points, clearly setting the Bruins up for a 2-0 loss.</li>
<li id="2e3e7T">Would imagine Anton Khudobin gets the start tonight with Tuukka Rask playing last night, but maybe Claude throws a curveball and doubles up on Rask.</li>
<li id="Qctk99">Tonight’s game will be interesting in a "see what they’re made of" capacity. Last night, the Bruins showed some character in coming back from a 3-0 deficit and getting the game to OT. It’d be nice to see them come out and run roughshod over the Avs, but one can’t help but wonder if fatigue catches up with them at some point.</li>
</ul>
<h3 id="MstUCM">Never forget</h3>
<p id="SCtECO">It was awkward, but it was cool.</p>
<div id="RxviN8"><iframe width="560" height="315" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/uYHKUNV0FXs" frameborder="0"></iframe></div>
https://www.stanleycupofchowder.com/2016/12/8/13882024/boston-bruins-colorado-avalanche-carl-soderberg-tuukka-rask-the-avs-are-badDan.Ryan