BOSTON –– The Boston Bruins close out a three-game homestand on Saturday with a matinee matchup against the Colorado Avalanche.
The 3 p.m. puck drop marks the second meeting between the two teams this season. The Bruins fell 4-1 to the Avalanche on Oct. 18 at Ball Arena. Johnny Beecher had the lone Boston goal in the defeat, which was his first of the year. Beecher will return to the lineup for the first time since Sunday and skate on the fourth line with Sean Kuraly and Mark Kastelic.
“We threw him in the lineup when we played in Colorado. He did a good job. Just the speed, I think PK is always a big factor having him in the lineup,” head coach Marco Sturm said. “We don’t want to take a lot of penalites, but if we do, I think it’s always good to have an extra body.”
The Bruins are focused on playing a sound defensive game against the Avalanche, who have averaged 3.5 goals per game so far this season.
“We have to make the stop. We can’t have too much room, especially in our end,” Sturm said. “You’ve almost got to frustrate them. It’s hard to do, but there are ways to do it. That is what we are going to try [against Colorado].”
David Pastrnak, who leads the B’s with 12 points (five goals, seven assists), is determined to help his group snap a six-game losing streak. The forward said Boston needs to focus on its process for a full 60 minutes.
“Obviously, very high-end skill and fast. Another test for our D-zone. We are going to have to make it hard to play against and don’t make it easy on them,” Pastrnak said. “That is when teams like Colorado are going to take advantage of you, and you’re going to be chasing all game. So play a really good defensive-structure game and see where it takes us.”
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