Linus Ullmark, Bruins blank short-handed Avalanche

Taylor Hall had two goals and an assist, Linus Ullmark had 23 saves for his second shutout of the season and sixth of his career, and the Boston Bruins beat the Colorado Avalanche 4-0 in Denver on Wednesday night.

Trent Frederic had a goal and an assist, David Pastrnak also scored and Charlie Coyle added two assists for the Bruins.

Alexandar Georgiev turned away 33 shots for injury-riddled Colorado.

The Avalanche played their first game without star Nathan MacKinnon, who will miss four to five weeks, the team announced Tuesday night. MacKinnon suffered an upper-body injury in Monday's loss at Philadelphia.

Colorado was also without Artturi Lehkonen for the second straight game with an injury suffered Saturday in Boston. He is considered day to day.

The Avalanche have 10 regulars out, including Josh Manson. Manson suffered a lower-body injury in a 6-4 win in Buffalo on Dec. 1 and will miss a month.

After a scoreless first period the Bruins broke through early in the second period. David Krejci had the puck behind the Colorado net and backhanded a pass to Pastrnak in the right circle, and his shot went off the inside of the far post and in at 3:49.

It was his 18th goal of the season.

Boston added to the lead midway through the second when Frederic stole the puck at the Avalanche blueline, sent it to Coyle, who slid it through the crease to Hall, who tapped it by Georgiev to make it 2-0 at 9:50.

Frederic padded the lead early in the third when he took a pass from Hall, and his one-timer from the slot beat Georgiev at 6:24. It was his sixth of the season.

Colorado got its third power play minutes later but failed to score, and the Bruins added an insurance goal after killing off the penalty. Jake DeBrusk found Hall breaking through the neutral zone, he went in alone on Georgiev and beat him at 9:42 for his 11th goal of the season.