With help from third line, Bruins cruise to big win over Avalanche

There’s a lot to say about the early-season success of Jim Montgomery and the Bruins.

The team can win in a variety of ways. They’re deep up front and on the backend, and they’ve received quality goaltender almost every single night. But one thing that’s put the Bruins atop the NHL mountain through 25 games has been their ability to keep their losses from turning into anything more than a mere one-off event.

Back on the ice after Tuesday’s streak-snapping loss to the Golden Knights, the Bruins rebounded like they have after all four of their losses this year, and remained losing streak-free behind a a 4-0 final over the Avalanche.

In a scoreless affair a mile above sea level through 20 minutes of action, the Bruins jumped on the board after a sleepy first-period start with a David Pastrnak goal scored at the 3:49 mark of the second period.

The Pastrnak tally extended the Czech winger’s goal streak to three games (and gave him goals in seven of his last eight games overall), and it would be the only contribution needed with the third-line takeover that followed.

Trapped in their own end after Charlie Coyle hounded Ben Meyers into a turnover, the Avalanche watched almost helplessly as Trent Frederic fed a puck back to Coyle and then to Taylor Hall for an easy goal on Colorado netminder Alexandar Georgiev to double the Black and Gold lead at the halfway mark of the middle frame.

It would not be the last time the Avs heard from the B’s third line in this contest.

With the will already beaten out of the Avalanche, the Bruins pushed their lead to three behind Trent Frederic’s fourth goal of the season, and put an exclamation mark on their victory with Taylor Hall’s breakaway goal to make this a 4-0 goal and truly tuck the Avs into bed for the night.

At the other end of the rink, Bruins netminder Linus Ullmark stopped all 23 shots thrown his way for his 15th victory of the campaign, and his second shutout performance of the year.

Up front, veteran winger Craig Smith returned to the B’s lineup after missing the previous three games with an upper-body injury. Smith, who skated on the right wing of Boston’s fourth line with Nick Foligno and Tomas Nosek, finished the night with one shot on goal in 12:03 of time on ice.

With Smith back in action, A.J. Greer sat as a healthy scratch for the Bruins.

The B’s victory also pushed their personal point streak to Colorado up to four games (3-0-1), which is officially their longest streak against the franchise since a 16-game streak that ran from Jan. ’92 to Feb. ’94, and with Avalanche franchise still in Quebec City and playing as the Nordiques.

The Bruins return to action Friday night against the Coyotes.