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 The veteran forward, a natural center playing right wing for the
Colorado Avalanche after signing a two-year,$8 million contract,
scored with five-tenths of a second left to give Avs their first win
in three games -- a 2-1 decision over the Boston Bruins on Monday.
The goal was also the 300th goal of Briere's NHL career.
"Hopefully there are many more to come but it's certainly a good
feeling to find a loose puck like that late in the game and get a
big win, especially after the start that we had," said Briere, who
gave Colorado its first win after two shutout losses to the
Minnesota Wild. "It's been a little bit of a roller coaster to start
the season, but we are hoping this game will get us on our way."
The Avalanche put on the pressure for the final 30 seconds before
defenseman Jan Hejda flipped a shot from the left point. Briere got
the rebound and put the puck past goaltender Niklas Svedberg.
There was no time left on the clock and the green light, signifying
the end of regulation, was on. The play was reviewed and it was
determined that the puck had entered the net with 0.5 remaining. "I had no clue [if goal was in time]," Briere said. "I saw the
referees; nobody knew what was going on and that's when I had that
sinking feeling that it might not be good, but it's a big relief
just to get a win under our belt.
"The pressure builds obviously when you don't win and you don't
score goals, so to get a big victory here in Boston, never an easy
building to play in either."
The Avs, who got 27 saves from goaltender Reto Berra, have not lost
in Boston since 1998, chalking up eight wins and a tie since.
The loss was the third straight for the Bruins (1-3), who have
scored four goals in four games. Right winger Loui Eriksson scored
for Boston.
"It was just a scrambly play and blown coverage and they scored,"
Bruins defenseman Dennis Seidenberg said of the game-winner.
Asked about losing with so little time left, Svedberg, who made 28
saves and played well, said, "Yeah, it sucks. Of course. It was a
tight game. Both teams played a tight game. Both teams wanted the
win badly so it's a tough way to lose it."
His coach, Claude Julien, thought Svedberg, "Gave us exactly what we
need from our backup goaltender -- he gave us a chance to win."
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The Avalanche (1-2) thought they had taken a 2-1 lead with 12:47
left when a deflected shot hit the back of right winger Dennis
Everberg's skate and trickled in. It was first called a goal on the
ice, but the four officials convened and said no-goal because they
said the deflection off center Ryan O'Reilly was off a high stick.
On replay, it didn't look like O'Reilly's stick was too high, but
the evidence was apparently inconclusive so the no-goal call stood.
"I don't know what it is -- we always have low-scoring, one-goal
games and they are a tremendous team, tough to play against and they
make sure you're at your best," said Avs defenseman Erik Johnson.
The Colorado scoreless streak, dating back to the last game of the
2014 playoffs, had just gone past 157 minutes of playing time when
left winger Jamie McGinn came out from the corner and squeezed a
shot through Svedberg, who may have been screened.
The lead assist on the Bruins goal went to center Carl Soderberg,
giving him three assists on the team's four goals.
NOTES: Bruins C David Krejci made his season debut after missing
three games with an undisclosed injury. He centered a line with
struggling LW Milan Lucic and just-recalled RW Seth Griffith, who
made his NHL debut. Jarome Iginla, the RW on that line last year,
was a visiting player on Monday, after signing with the Avalanche as
a free agent. ... Colorado D Erik Johnson was not expecting
disciplinary action from the league for his elbow on Minnesota's
Erik Haula. Johnson was ejected after Haula fell to the ice grabbing
his face. "I expect Haula to be up for an Academy Award," Johnson
said. "They're trying to get embellishment out of the freaking
league. And it wasn't a vicious hit." ... The Avalanche opened a
five-game eastern trip that continues in Toronto on Tuesday night,
while the Bruins open a three-game trip in Detroit on Wednesday,
meaning the first two road games of the season are against the Red
Wings, 2-1 winners last Thursday. ... This was the third time in
five years the teams played a Columbus Day matinee at TD Garden.
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