The Avalanche scored back-to-back goals in a 37-second span in the first period before the Bruins tied things up midway through the second. The Avs, however, scored a pair of goals before the end of the second period to take the lead for good.
The Bruins did their best imitation of Saturday night as the final seconds ticked off the clock, but were unable to pull off another comeback.
Avalanche 4, Bruins 3
Oct. 12, 2009
TD Garden, Boston, Mass.
Headliner: David Jones helped the Avalanche get out to lead with an assist in the first period.
In the second, he helped them keep it.
The 25-year-old Ontario native picked up his first two points of the season, scoring a short-handed goal with just more than three minutes remaining in the second period to give the Avs a 4-2 lead. The goal proved to be crucial as the Bruins scored early in the third period.
Grinder: In what was a mostly forgettable afternoon for the Bruins, Michael Ryder did his part to make it a game.
Ryder picked up an assist on the Bruins' second goal, firing a wrister toward the net that Blake Wheeler tipped mid-air past goaltender Craig Anderson. After the B's fell behind 4-2, Ryder cut the deficit to one with a backhanded flip over Anderson.
The goal was Ryder's second of the season.
Weak Link: In what has become a disturbing trend for the Bruins this season, they once again failed to convert on the power play, going 0-for-5 on the day. Making matters worse, they gave up what proved to be the game-winning goal on the man advantage in the second, allowing Jones to slip past the defense on a breakaway.
The Bruins have now converted just 13.8 percent of their power-play opportunities, good enough for 26th in the league.
In their final chance in the closing minutes of the game, the power play forced some pressure, but through five games, it seems pretty clear that Claude Julien is going to have to make some changes.
Key Moment: It's always tough for pro teams to get their energy level up for an afternoon game, and it's even harder when they get down early.
That's exactly what happened for the Bruins after Tuukka Rask, who made 18 saves on 22 shots, tried and failed to clear a puck from danger and the Bruins fell behind 2-0.
It was an uphill skate from there all afternoon, and despite tying the game in the second, the Bruins could not overcome the early deficit.
What's Next: After opening the season with a disappointing 2-3 record, the Bruins have a few days to regroup and assess their problems, with the power play at the top of that list.
They next take to the ice on Friday night, playing in Dallas against the Stars. Everyone remembers what happened when these two teams met last fall, and a hard-fought victory could be the spark that this team needs to find its identity.
