Bruins Daily: Smith Returning; Bruins-Avalanche Rematch

Boston Bruins winger Craig Smith is set to return to the lineup against the Colorado Avalanche Wednesday in Denver. Should he have to worry about protecting his teammate Charlie McAvoy?

That, more Bruins news and the latest from around the NHL in the latest Boston Hockey Now Bruins Daily:

Boston Bruins

In the first period of the 5-1 win for the Boston Bruins over the Colorado Avalanche on Saturday, Boston Bruins defenseman Charlie McAvoy cleared Colorado Avalanche winger Artturi Lehkonen out of the crease by slamming him down to the ice. It was a borderline penalty, but when all was said and done, any hockey lifer would view it the same way they view NFL defensive and offensive lineman going at it in the trenches.

Yeah. This is dangerous. And unnecessary pic.twitter.com/ezC8gsr46v

— Kyle Keefe (@kylekeefetv) December 4, 2022

Well, my colleague at Colorado Hockey Now sees it differently and has basically put a Reg Dunlop on Tim McCracken bounty on McAvoy as retribution for Lehkonen now being day-to-day with an upper body injury.

I love and have the utmost respect for Adrian but c’mon! Noe the less, could we see some fire works tonight if the score gets out of hand?

After missing the last three games with an upper-body injury, Boston Bruins winger Craig Smith will draw back into the lineup Wednesday night in Denver against the Colorado Avalanche.

National Hockey Now

COL: The Avalanche may want to hold back on any payback because they continue to be ravaged by injuries and will be without star forward Nathan MacKinnon for a bit now too.

PGH: The Pittsburgh Penguins overcame a bad first period and beat the Columbus Blue Jackets 4-1 on Tuesday night.

NYI: Apparently the St. Louis Blues and New York Islanders forgot how to play defense on Tuesday night?

PHI: The injury bug is biting deep into the forward group for the Philadelphia Flyers.

WSH: I interviewed Washington Capitals forward Anthony Mantha just after he was drafted by the Detroit Red Wings 20th overall in the 2013 NHL Entry Draft. Many draft gurus had him pegged as the next star power forward. Over nine years later, it seems like it’s now or never for Mantha.

DAL: The point streak is over for Dallas Stars forward Jason Robertson and the Stars lost 4-0 to the Toronto Maple Leafs.

LAK: The Los Angeles Kings rode a hot start to beat the Ottawa Senators 5-2.

SJS: Could goalie James Reimer return this week for the San Jose Sharks?

Canada Hockey Now