The Colorado Avalanche are set to host the Boston Bruins tonight at Ball Arena, looking to extend their unbeaten streak against Eastern Conference teams. Fresh off victories against the Buffalo Sabres and Columbus Blue Jackets, the Avalanche boast a record of 4-0-1 as they prepare for this matchup with the 3-2-0 Bruins.
In their last outing, Colorado notched a 3-1 win in Buffalo, thanks in large part to a strong performance by Nathan MacKinnon and Martin Nečas, who combined for a four-point night. Goaltender Scott Wedgewood stood out by stopping 27 of the 28 shots he faced. Just three nights later, Wedgewood was again in goal for the Avalanche, guiding the team to a 4-1 victory against Columbus, which saw Brock Nelson score his first goal of the season—the game-winner. Defending Norris Trophy winner Cale Makar, playing in his 400th career game, opened the scoring with Nečas assisting, bringing his season total to nine points in just five games.
The Avalanche currently sit atop the Central Division with nine points and will look to solidify their lead against Boston, while the Winnipeg Jets and Dallas Stars, sitting in second and third place, respectively, will also be in action this evening. Wins for Winnipeg and Dallas could drastically change the standings.
Colorado’s home performance against Eastern Conference rivals has been stellar; they have not lost at home to an Eastern team since January 2025. However, they are seeking their first win against the Bruins since January 2024, where they were victorious in a previous meeting.
On the other side, the Boston Bruins are eager to turn their fortunes around after a disappointing season last year, which included a tumultuous contract situation with goaltender Jeremy Swayman and the firing of head coach Jim Montgomery. A roster overhaul has taken place during the offseason, with notable moves including the trade of former captain Brad Marchand to the Florida Panthers.
Tonight’s game will feature some familiar faces for Avalanche fans, including Casey Mittlestadt, who previously played for Colorado before his trade to Boston last March. Former Avalanche defenseman Nikita Zadorov, now with the Bruins, has gotten off to a promising start as well, having contributed a goal and an assist in his first five games of the season.
David Pastrnak leads Boston with six points, followed closely by Elias Lindholm and Pavel Zacha. However, the Bruins are looking to bounce back after two consecutive losses, including a tight 6-5 defeat to the Vegas Golden Knights.
As the matchup unfolds, the Avalanche will aim to maintain their strong start and rack up more points in the divisional race, while the Bruins hope to gain momentum following their recent struggles.