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( Photo Credit: Maddie Meyer/Getty Images )


By: Yanni Latzanakis  |  Follow Me On Twitter @yanlatz
Halloween is here which means the first month of the 2019-2020 NHL season is coming to a close with the Bruins as arguably the best team in the league thus far. The Bruins head into November atop the Atlantic Division and the NHL.com’s “Super 16” Power Rankings list for the fourth straight week.

You read that right, the Bruins have remained at the top of the NHL’s weekly power rankings for the fourth straight week after the Bruins came flying out of the gates to start the season. This week the Bruins were just one vote away from being a unanimous number one when twelve out of the thirteen NHL.com writers voted for the Bruins to be the top spot on the rankings.

The Bruins are coming off a 12 game month of October with a 9-1-2 record for 20 points in the standings. This is good for the Bruins’ best start in their first 12 games since the 1929-1930 season – a year in which they made the Stanley Cup Finals. They are tied in points with the Buffalo Sabres for the top spot in the Atlantic Division but the Bruins have the slight edge in regulation and overtime wins with nine to break the tie.
The Bruins have been clicking as of late offensively as they have the second-highest goal differential in the NHL at +16. Part of their high flying offense has been the play of David Pastrnak who has 24 points in 12 games by way of 12 goals and 12 assists. His linemates have been right there with him in terms of production offensively with Marchand scoring 12 goals and adding seven assists for 21 points and Bergeron burying five goals and seven assists for 12 points. Along with their depth at forward and defense as well as strong goaltending from Rask and Halak, it is no surprise that the Bruins have been number one on the power rankings the whole month of October.

This week the Bruins are ahead of the Washington Capitals who climbed up from the third spot into the second because of their 6-0-1 record in their past seven games. Bruins division rivals Toronto Maple Leafs and Tampa Bay Lightning also made the sweet 16 power rankings with the Leafs coming in at 12 and the Lightning at 14.
The Lightning were slotted at number one on the power rankings before the season started on October 2nd with the Bruins at number four before the puck dropped on the season. The Lightning hold a 6-4-2 record for 14 points and currently sit a point out of the last wild card spot held by the 6-5-3 Toronto Maple Leafs. Granted it is extremely early with a ton of hockey left this season, it is not the start that Leafs and Bolts fans wanted to see out of the gate this year.

While the recognition of being the best team in the league every week in October is good, the Bruins are just getting started, however. With only 12 games down and 70 to go, the Bruins have a lot of work to do. Odds are Tampa Bay and Toronto will figure out their struggles, as well as Buffalo could continue their strong start and along with the Joel Quenneville coached Florida Panthers, the Bruins are going to be battling all season for a top spot in the Atlantic Division.
The Bruins take on the Ottawa Senators on Saturday at TD Garden to kick off the month of November.

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