Avalanche 2 - 1 Bruins
Final
  for this game

Avalanche aim for first win as Iginla returns to Boston

Oct 13, 2014 - 12:22 PM (SportsNetwork.com) - Forget still searching for their first victory of the season, the Colorado Avalanche are still trying to score their first goal.

Perhaps a trip to Boston can get Jarome Iginla and the Avalanche on track as they battle the Bruins in a Monday matinee.

Colorado opened up last season 12-1-0 under rookie head coach Patrick Roy and didn't lose its second game until Nov. 6. However, the Avalanche have begun the 2014-15 campaign with consecutive shutout losses to the Minnesota Wild.

The Avs failed to get any of their 16 shots by Wild goaltender Darcy Kuemper in a 5-0 setback on Thursday, then saw all 30 of their pucks on net turned aside by Kuemper in a 3-0 loss on Saturday.

"We certainly had the spark tonight. We played hard," said Colorado captain Gabriel Landeskog. "We were just a couple goalposts away from tying it."

Semyon Varlamov was sharp in goal for the Avalanche, making 31 saves.

Colorado begins a four-game road trip today and it opens with Iginla's return to Boston. He spent last season with the Bruins and it was a successful one, with the forward notching 61 points and tying for the club lead with 30 goals.

With Boston up against the cap, Iginla signed a three-year, $16 million deal with the Avalanche.

"It's exciting. It's early in the year, and it will probably feel like I was just there," Iginla told Colorado's website. "For myself and my family, it was a fun last year. It was a great experience."

The start to this season hasn't been a great experience for the Bruins, who have lost two straight since beginning things with a win over Philadelphia. Boston also is coming off a shutout loss, a 4-0 decision to the visiting Washington Capitals on Saturday.

Tuukka Rask stopped 17-of-21 shots for the Bruins, who have dropped two straight in regulation for the first time since Jan. 7-9.

"We just got embarrassed, and I think we all have to really look at what we can start doing better and really take pride in that because a game like tonight is not acceptable," said Boston defenseman Zdeno Chara.

Boston has not lost three in a row in regulation since March 10-15, 2012 and could have a new look in the lineup on Monday.

David Krejci has missed the first three games with an undisclosed injury suffered in the preseason on Oct. 4, has resumed skating with the club and could return to action today. He had 50 assists and 69 points in 80 games last season.

"Every day (is) better," Krejci told Boston's website. "(Sunday) was a pretty good day, so hopefully (I'll) wake up (Monday) and feel good enough to play."

If he returns, Krejci could find himself on a line with Seth Griffith, who was recalled from the minors on Sunday and is in line to make his NHL debut. Griffith potted 20 goals with 30 assists in 69 games with Providence of the American Hockey League last season and added 11 points in 12 playoff games.

The Avalanche and Bruins met twice last season, trading 2-0 road victories. Colorado is 7-0-0 with a tie in its last eight trips to Boston, not losing as the guest in this series since March 30, 1998.






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