Have the Colorado Avalanche caught a break on Monday afternoon. They will not face Bruins goalie Tim Thomas in net; Tuukka Rask will be in between the pipes for Boston. This will be Rask's first start of the season. Rask went 11-14-2 last season as Thomas' backup, but he didn't see the ice during the playoffs.

With Thomas 37 years old, the Bruins will want to give more rest to him and start Rask more often. During the 2009-10 season, Rask went 22-12-5 with a 1.97 GAA (goals against average) in 45 games. No matter who is in net, the Bruins will have a solid option defending against opposing offenses.

For more on this game, visit our Avalanche blog Mile High Hockey and our Bruins blog Stanley Cup of Chowder.