Colorado Avalanche (29-13-3, second in the Central Division) vs. Boston Bruins (26-8-9, first in the Atlantic Division)
Boston; Thursday, 7 p.m. EST
BOTTOM LINE: The Colorado Avalanche visit the Boston Bruins after Mikko Rantanen's two-goal game against the Ottawa Senators in the Avalanche's 7-4 win.
Boston is 13-3-3 at home and 26-8-9 overall. The Bruins have an 11-0-2 record when they serve fewer penalty minutes than their opponent.
Colorado has a 29-13-3 record overall and an 11-8-3 record in road games. The Avalanche rank eighth in the league serving 10.3 penalty minutes per game.
Thursday's game is the second meeting between these teams this season. The Avalanche won 4-3 in a shootout in the last meeting. Rantanen led the Avalanche with two goals.
TOP PERFORMERS: David Pastrnak has 26 goals and 35 assists for the Bruins. Brad Marchand has six goals and five assists over the past 10 games.
Ryan Johansen has scored 11 goals with seven assists for the Avalanche. Rantanen has six goals and eight assists over the past 10 games.
LAST 10 GAMES: Bruins: 6-1-3, averaging four goals, 6.5 assists, 4.3 penalties and 8.9 penalty minutes while giving up 2.7 goals per game.
Avalanche: 8-2-0, averaging four goals, seven assists, 3.5 penalties and 7.4 penalty minutes while giving up 3.1 goals per game.
INJURIES: Bruins: Linus Ullmark: day to day (lower body), Brandon Carlo: out (upper body), Milan Lucic: out (personal), Derek Forbort: out (undisclosed), Matthew Poitras: day to day (shoulder).
Avalanche: Valeri Nichushkin: out indefinitely (illness), Bowen Byram: out (lower body), Artturi Lehkonen: out (neck), Gabriel Landeskog: out (knee), Pavel Francouz: out for season (groin).
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The Associated Press created this story using technology provided by Data Skrive and data from Sportradar.
The Associated Press
