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  • Game Day Preview: Avalanche at Bruins

    Game Day

    Game Day Preview: Avalanche at Bruins

    Tim Rosenthal November 12, 2015
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    With a pivotal five-game homestand beginning tonight, the Boston Bruins are hoping to string together some wins and re-establish their home ice advantage. Awaiting them is the Colorado Avalanche, who have not lost a game at TD Garden since March of 1998.

    The Bruins took the first meeting of the season out in Denver and will look for the season sweep against the Avalanche. Oddly enough, their only home win so far this season came when they swept their season series against the Arizona Coyotes, so perhaps they could find some good karma again tonight.

    Although David Pastrnak is still out with a foot injury, the Bruins do have some good news on the injury front. Dennis Seidenberg, who has not seen any game action since April, is scheduled to make his first appearance of the season for the Black and Gold while Torey Krug should be in after a couple of maintenance days.

    Gametime: 7:00 P.M.
    TV/Radio: NESN/98.5 The Sports Hub
    Records: Bruins 7-6-1 (13 points), Avalanche 5-9-1 (11 points)
    Location: TD Garden

    Bruins’ projected lines

    Frank Vatrano-David Krejci-Loui Eriksson
    Matt Beleskey-Patrice Bergeron-Brett Connolly
    Brad Marchand-Ryan Spooner-Jimmy Hayes
    Zac Rinaldo-Joonas Kemppainen-Tyler Randell

    Zdeno Chara-Colin Miller
    Dennis Seidenberg-Adam McQuaid
    Torey Krug-Kevan Miller

    Tuukka Rask
    Jonas Gustavsson

    Avalanche projected lines

    Gabriel Landeskog-Nathan MacKinnon-Matt Duchene
    Blake Comeau-Carl Soderberg-Jarome Iginla
    Cody McLeod-Mikhail Grigorenko-Dennis Everberg
    Andreas Martinsen-Ben Street-Jack Skille

    Francois Beauchemin-Erik Johnson
    Nick Holden-Tyson Barrie
    Brandon Gormley-Mark Stuart

    Reto Berra
    Semyon Varlamov

    Matchup to watch: Bruins power play vs. Avalanche penalty kill

    Avalanche at Bruins

    Six of Torey Krug’s 10 assists this season have come on the power play. (Photo by Joe Makarksi/Bruins Daily)

    There have been only three games this season in which the Bruins failed to score on the power play. One of those meetings came during the B’s first road game of the season in Denver, where they were held scoreless on two attempts.

    With an 82 percent success rate, the Avalanche come into tonight’s matchup with the 13th ranked penalty kill. Additionally, the Avs are averaging under 10 penalty minutes a night and their 82 minutes of shorthanded time this year is good for 12th in the league.

    Although the Bruins offense hit a bit of a lull last week — scoring eight goals in four games — they have still found success on the power play. The Black and Gold’s league-leading man advantage unit has scored in seven straight games, and they remain the only squad who has a success rate of over 30 percent.

    For a team looking to find a rhythm at home, scoring on the power play can only help.

    Storyline to watch: Dennis Seidenberg’s potential impact upon returning

    Avalanche at Bruins

    Dennis Seidenberg is probable for tonight’s game against Matt Duchene and the Avalanche. (Photo by Joe Makarski/Bruins Daily)

    Sidelined with a back injury since Training Camp, Dennis Seidenberg could give the Bruins defense some much-needed help.

    After the morning skate, head coach Claude Julien told reporters that Seidenberg will take part in warmups and will likely suit up for the first time in the 2015-16 season. The German blue-liner skated with Adam McQuaid on the second defensive pairing during today’s on-ice session.

    Although he lost a step after coming back from a knee injury last year, Seidenberg’s importance is vital to the young B’s blue-line. The veteran d-man brings additional leadership to a team and a defense that is in transition in 2015-16. With Chris Kelly out, Seidenberg will also be relied upon heavily to help the league’s worst penalty kill.

    Bruins fans may not see the Seidenberg of old, but they should be breathing easier now that his return is on the horizon.

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    Tim Rosenthal

    Tim Rosenthal serves as the Managing Editor of Bruins Daily. He started contributing videos to the site in 2010 before fully coming on board during the Bruins' Stanley Cup run in 2011. His bylines over the last decade have been featured on Boston.com, FoxSports.com, College Hockey News, Patch and Inside Hockey. You can follow Tim on Twitter @_TimRosenthal.

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