We've been dealt three really odd games to start the season: a massive choke job, a valiant come-from-behind win, and whatever this nonsense was tonight. None of them have consisted of three normal periods of hockey. Each has featured scoring stretches you just don't see once NHL teams have settled in for the year. Right now, these ALL feel like outlier-style games. Maybe that's troubling; maybe it's just too weird to pay much attention to.
The Bruins erupted for five 5-on-5 goals in the first two periods, forcing Patrick Roy to make his first goalie change of the year and giving backup Reto Berra his first regular season playing time. How this transpired is a combination of a lot of terrible hockey plays, committed by a variety of Avalanche playing on just about every line and pairing. There simply weren't a lot of bright spots wearing Burgundy & Blue.
Gabriel Landeskog put the Avs on the board late in the 2nd Period with a power play goal. Assists were initially credited to Barrie and MacKinnon, but the official scorer would eventually deem the play unassisted. John Mitchell would strike midway through the 3rd period, scoring his third goal of the young season. Zadorov and Barrie were given assists.
Roy would pull Berra with more than three minutes remaining, and after a more decent scoring chances denied by Boston goalie Jonas Gustavsson, the Bruins would score on an empty net, putting the final nail in the Avalanche's coffin. 6-2 the score.
The Avalanche travel to Anaheim on Friday to take on the Ducks. Let's hope for something a little more...normal?