Oxygen is already thin enough a mile above sea level. But whatever air the Boston Bruins had to their offense to begin with was completely sucked out on Saturday night, as they turned in flat and lifeless performance at Ball Arena, losing 4-1 to the Colorado Avalanche.

As the Avalanche skated circles around them and racked up 72 shots attempts to their 27, all the Bruins could do was watch as Jeremy Swayman did all he could in net to keep the score close. At one point, the Bruins went a total of 17:12 without a shot on goal.

“We knew coming in, it was going to be a game like that,” Bruins coach Marco Sturm told reporters in Denver. “It doesn’t matter, the shot difference. You’re in the game. That’s what bothered me. We just didn’t take advantage.”

The night had promising start for the Bruins. Freshly inserted into the lineup for the first time this season, John Beecher put Boston on the board first at 3:11 of the opening frame. Driving toward the net, all Beecher had to do was present the blade of his stick at the back door to chip in a brilliant slap pass from Charlie McAvoy.

Johnny on the spot! 🚨 pic.twitter.com/DsKKrjIKyU

— Boston Bruins (@NHLBruins) October 19, 2025

“When you got a guy as skilled as C-Mac, you’ve got to be ready for the puck at all times,” said Beecher. “I saw him and I saw the lane, so I figured it would be coming my way and just gripped my stick as hard as I could. He made a great play. That was all him. I was just standing there.” 

The Avalanche tied the score at 7:08 of the first when Nathan MacKinnon pounced on a Bruins turnover in the neutral zone and made it look all too easy as he beat Swayman with a swift deke and a backhand finish.

MacKinnon’s goal was the first shot Swayman faced in the game, and the second one he saw beat him as well. Fresh off draw in the defensive zone, Josh Manson’s blast from the point floated through traffic and past Swayman to put Colorado ahead 2-1.

Swayman recovered, stopping 34 of 37 shots, and it’s a good thing he did. Boston spent practically the rest of the night defending in its own zone, barely challenging Colorado netminder Scott Wedgewood at all.

“He’s been so good this whole season,” Hampus Lindholm said of Swayman, making his return to the lineup after missing the last three games due to injury. “He’s shown what kind of goalie he is. We got to step up and help him out.”

With their offense non-existent, it was only a matter of time until the Bruins let up another goal. MacKinnon tallied his second of the night at 4:14 of the third, providing Colorado with some insurance that it never really needed in the first place. Martin Necas hit an empty net with less than three minutes to play for good measure.

“We were in the game,” said Sturm. “It’s a 2-1 hockey game. We know they’re going to be better than us, but it’s a 2-1 hockey game. That was the frustrating part.” 

Since winning their first three games to start the season, the Bruins have now lost three straight in regulation, including the first two of their current road trip. They’ll look to salvage two points before returning home when they face the Utah Mammoth at 7 p.m. EST.

FOLLOW ANDREW FANTUCCHIO ON 𝕏: @A_FANTUCCHIO
FOLLOW BOSTON HOCKEY NOW ON 𝕏 AND FACEBOOK