Bruins Notebook: B’s face tough task in Avs

The Bruins have allowed the first goal in each of the last four games. Once it led to a blowout loss (Carolina), another time it put the B’s in an all-game chase mode before finally succumbing (Anaheim), and twice those early goals were mere flesh wounds before the B’s improved offense bounced for the wins (Washington, Winnipeg).

Different results but, still, not a recipe for long-term success.

But if any team could scare them straight out of their recent habit of tip-toeing into games – or at least should – it is their opponent Wednesday night.

The B’s kick off a three-game western swing against the hottest team in the league, the Colorado Avalanche. Boasting a dizzying array of weapons from Nathan MacKinnon, Nazem Kadri and Mikko Rantanen up front to big-time punch on the back end with Cale Makar and Devon Toews, the Avs are 12-0-1 in their last 13 games and have won 16 straight at Ball Arena.

It’s a daunting task, but maybe it will be good for the B’s to once again assume the role of the hunter instead of the hunted.

“I would hope so,” said coach Bruce Cassidy, whose team has a 10-5-1 road record. “They’re a high-octane team that’s won 16 in a row at home, playing well, a team that has played well for years. We’ve had good games against them, just come up a little short in crunch time. In that regard, we better be ready to (play). I don’t think it matters who you play, but specifically with them, with their ability to finish, that is the one positive about playing a team like that who’d been hot.

“Let’s hope we’re able to respond. I think we have in the past. We’ve had some good road games recently, we’ve had a long stretch at home, but we played well in Washington, played well in Tampa, played well in Detroit. Hopefully that continues, our ability to win both in Boston and on the road.”

It would help the B’s if their goaltending gets straightened out. While Linus Ullmark, Wednesday’s scheduled starter, has not been immune to the odd soft goal, Tuukka Rask is of greater concern right now. As he said after the 5-3 loss to Anaheim on Monday, he’s not tracking the puck well and his depth has been off. After a strong first game back in an emotional win over Philadelphia, he’s allowed 12 goals in his last three starts.

Cassidy, knowing full well what Rask can do for a team when he’s in form, is determined to get him the playing time he needs to get his game up to snuff. For now, at least.

“We made a decision as a group when Tuukka came back. Obviously in hindsight that time in Providence when the schedule got canceled worked against him. Only he can answer that,” said Cassidy, referring to the aborted rehab starts Rask was going to have in the AHL. “Any player at any level, it’s going to take a little time. We understood that. We’re not at that point where we’re going to blow everything up. We need to get him his reps, need to play well in front of him, he needs to get comfortable, tracking pucks, fighting traffic. Stuff you don’t get often in practice. It’s going to take some time. Hopefully not too much time for everyone involved. We’d like to see results quickly. It doesn’t always happen in that way.”

Cassidy noted that Ullmark and Jeremy Swayman – for whom Garden fans were chanting on Monday as Rask struggled – took a while to get their games up and running this year. The same thing is happening with Rask right now, he feels.

“Listen, Tuukka’s not some guy off the street that’s never played. He’s got a resume in this league that’s an extremely good one,” said Cassidy. “We know he’ll find his game and we have to give him the opportunity to do it. That’s the plan. If we have to deviate from that down the road, we will. I know it’s a results oriented business, but we’re not there. We believe he’ll find his game and we’ll have a great one-two punch.”

Marchand a fan favorite

Last Thursday after warmups, Brad Marchand gave a young fan a treat. As he was going through the fans’ fist bump gauntlet at the tunnel, he spotted a fan filming with his phone. Marchand playfully grabbed the phone, continued down the tunnel while recording a message before bringing it back to the kid.

Marchand said he remembers as a kid when the Bruins played an exhibition in his hometown of Halifax and how excited he was to be that kid getting a close-up look at real NHL players. He also remembers a conversation he had at a charity dinner with Hall of Famer Ray Bourque when he was 19.

“I’ll never forget what he said to me and I come back to it a lot,” said Marchand. “He’s said it’s very easy when you have a longer career and you get comfortable in the league or with an organization to forget how fortunate we are to be in the position we’re in, to be living our dreams and living other people’s dreams. You take it for granted at times. There’s been numerous times that I’ve come back to this, but he just told me ‘When every kid that wants an autograph or every kid that approaches you or wants to talk to you, enjoy it, don’t take it for granted, enjoy those moments. Because when you retire, nobody cares anymore. Nobody cares what you’ve done or who you are. You’re not relevant, essentially.’ It’s always the new players in the league, the superstars at that point that are the people they care about. People forget pretty quick.

“So it’s something I’ve come back to a lot and I think it keeps you grounded, keeps you humble and makes you understand how fortunate you are. That’s coming from one of the best players to ever play the game. When he talks like that, it hits home. Good advice to learn at a young age.”

Yandle feat impressive

Marchand took a maintenance day from practice on Tuesday as he tries to fight through an apparent shoulder injury he suffered last Thursday.

That brings to mind Milton’s Keith Yandle, who was set to break Doug Jarvis‘ record of 964 consecutive games played on Tuesday in the Flyers game against the Islanders.

“It’s huge, just because of how hard it is to get through a season let along 12 or 13 in a row,” said Marchand of his former Moncton Wildcats teammate. “There’s so many different things (that could derail it) — illness, injuries, especially that he plays 20 minutes a night and has for a long time, a defenseman, he’s not a huge guy and defensemen get run a lot. I just think it’s such an incredible accomplishment to be able to play that many games consecutively. It shows though the course of history how many guys have been able to do that. Especially now with the COVID stuff, the fact he hasn’t popped has been incredible. That would have been a devastating way to ruin that streak. I’m very happy for him.”…

Matt Grzelcyk, who missed Monday’s game, returned to practice on Tuesday and traveled with the team. Nick Foligno, who suffered an upper body injury in Monday’s loss, did not practice on Tuesday and did not travel with the team. John Moore, who was a full participant in practice, was returned to Providence. Anton Blidh, out since taking a big Tom Wilson hit last Thursday, practiced fully and traveled. Jesper Froden, Steven Fogarty and Troy Grosenick were expected to travel as the taxi squad.

Trent Frederic, out since Jan. 10 since suffering an upper body injury, remained off the ice.