The Colorado Avalanche squared off against the Boston Bruins, with Nathan MacKinnon aiming to lead his team to another victory. However, Jeremy Swayman and the Bruins had other ideas, defeating Colorado 3–2 and handing the Avs their first regulation loss of the season.
MacKinnon recorded two assists, while Artturi Lehkonen netted both goals for Colorado. Swayman was stellar between the pipes, stopping 31 of 33 shots to help Boston snap a six-game losing streak and improve to 4–6–0 on the year.
Despite the setback, the Avalanche left the game encouraged by their overall play. MacKinnon told reporters afterward that he believed Colorado controlled much of the action, but credited Swayman for his outstanding performance.
Jeremy Swayman was a major factor in Boston’s win, continuing his solid play despite the Bruins’ recent struggles. The goaltender, who’s posted a .910 save percentage so far this season, appears to be regaining his form after a disappointing 2024–25 campaign.
Following the victory, Swayman credited his teammates for their defensive commitment, noting that Boston blocked 34 shots against the Avalanche.
“It’s a momentum shifter in a game when guys are sacrificing their bodies for the greater good of the team,” Swayman said via NHL.com. “That’s important for us and gives us a ton of momentum moving forward, and I’m really thankful to have these guys in front of me.”
The Bruins’ defensive effort went beyond blocked shots. They killed off all three Colorado power plays, successfully shutting down Nathan MacKinnon and one of the league’s most dangerous man-advantage units.
It’s still early in the 2025–26 NHL season, but warning signs are beginning to emerge for Colorado. Losses can pile up quickly — just as Boston’s did when they followed a 3–0 start with a six-game skid.
“It’s just unfortunate we couldn’t put it away early,” MacKinnon said via NHL.com. “We had a lot of looks, a lot of chances, and we were dominating, but let them back in it. They held it down the second half of the game, but the first half of the game we had chances to get a good lead … I thought we really outplayed them, honestly. Swayman had a night.”
Now, the Avalanche may be facing a similar challenge. Saturday’s loss to the Bruins marked their third straight defeat and first in regulation, dropping them to 5-1-3 on the season. Their next matchup doesn’t get any easier — they’ll face the red-hot New Jersey Devils, who have won seven consecutive games.
Colorado has the talent and leadership to rebound, but they’ll need to respond quickly to prevent this slump from turning into something larger. A strong showing against New Jersey on Sunday afternoon could be exactly what they need to steady the ship.