Good and bad: Mikko Rantanen was everywhere in the Avalanche's 5-3 loss to Boston

DENVER – The Avalanche took far too long to find their game on Wednesday. Their attempt to erase a three-goal deficit failed in the third period of another loss, this time 5-3 to the Boston Bruins. Colorado is 0-4 for the second time in team history and first since 1998-99.

The rollercoaster ride of a game particularly caught one player's eye. At times his actions hurt the team. But in the end, he almost helped the Avs get the win.

The good: Mikko Rantanen

I thought an angry Mikko Rantanen would ignite a new level of hockey – the kind of fire that would help pull the Avalanche out of this brutal winless start to the season.

At first it seemed to have the opposite effect, but then Rantanen came through. On a grand scale.

It all started in the second third. Rantanen was called for interference due to a collision with Brad Marchand in the Avs zone. Rantanen was called for interference and was immediately unhappy with the call. To me it looked like interference, but it also looked like an embellishment by the Boston captain that went unprompted. While Rantanen was complaining to the officer, he ended up in the middle of a crowd after he and Trent Frederic were tied up.

Boston scored on that power play to take a 3-1 lead. And the very next shift, head coach Jared Bednar sent Rantanen, Nathan MacKinnon and Nikolai Kovalenko onto the ice. Would angry Mikko be let loose? No. Just 13 seconds later, Boston scored again on a well-executed screen from Alexandar Georgiev by John Beecher. 4-1.

Rantanen became the most fascinating player to watch. Colorado finally returned to the power play and Rantanen set up Cale Makar for a great shot from the point to make it 4-2. In the third period, Rantanen was assessed another penalty, this time for a blatant hook on David Pastrnak. The Avs weathered the storm and converted the penalty. But Rantanen was steaming out of the penalty area. He almost called another penalty before being denied by Riley Tufte behind the Avs goal. There was initially no penalty for the play, but after Rantanen turned and yelled at the official, his arm went up and the Avs were back on the PP.

It only took 23 seconds. Rantanen scored on the resulting man advantage, bringing the Avs within one goal early in the third period.

Evil: Oliver Kylington

The fit just isn't there. And I wonder if John Ludvig will be back in the squad in favor of Kylington on Friday. The Avs' new defender performed poorly in every way. First of all, he finds it difficult to play with Makar. The two simply don't fit together. But his decision-making was also questionable at times. I don't think Calvin de Haan fared much better either. But if two of the three new players have to play without Toews, then it has to be Ludvig and de Haan. At least for now, until Kylington improves in training.