The Boston Bruins played their first game on December 1, 1924 beating the Montreal Maroons. One hundred years later the Boston Bruins repeated history after a very long pregame ceremony to beat the Montreal Canadiens. The much maligned Bruins offense came out swinging scoring three goals in the span of just 70 seconds in the first period. Charlie McAvoy, David Pastrnak and Charlie Coyle all found the back of the net against Cayden Primeau halfway through the period. In the second period, McAvoy broke away for a shorthanded goal to make it 4-0 but Cole Caulfield scored to make it 4-1 going into the third. Coyle scored just 21 seconds into the third period although Montreal rallied with goals from Caufield and Emil Heineman to pull within two with just under 14 minutes to go. The Bruins defense held fast under Jeremy Swayman and Cole Koepke provided the empty net goal to end it. The Bruins had beaten Montreal in their Centennial Game 6-3 at TD Garden.
The Bruins came out with a fire in the first period with Cayden Primeau having to stop a Charlie McAvoy blast less than a minute into the game. Three minutes later Trent Frederic dished to Nikita Zadorov but Primeau made the stop. Swayman then held fast eight minutes into the period when Arber Xhekaj slapshot went right into his pads. The Bruins got lucky nine minutes into the period when Mike Matheson beat Swayman clean on a shot from the point....off the post! Emil Heineman got the rebound but couldn't put it in. Down the other end, Mark Kastelic dished it to Frederic but Primeau stopped him. The puck went to Jordan Oesterle who dished it to McAvoy who scored a wraparound goal to put the Bruins up 1-0.
Just fifty-five seconds later David Pastrnak sent it to Pavel Zacha who's blast dropped Primeau. In the confusion, Morgan Geekie ended up with the puck behind the net. He sent it to Pastrnak in the shot who scored his 9th goal of the season to increase the lead.
Just fifteen seconds later Kastelic fired it on net and Primeau left a rebound. Coyle backhanded the rebound into the net for yet another goal to complete the trifecta. The Bruins sat on the lead the remainder of the period and went into intermission up 3-0.
Things got even worse for the Canadiens in the second period although things looked to go their way when Nikita Zadorov sent the puck out of the arena for a delay of game just 25 seconds into the period. Then McAvoy fell to the ice, sweeping the puck over in the direction of Elias Lindholm and Matheson. Matheson kicked the puck away only for McAvoy to take it and go. McAvoy skated in and scored the breakway goal to put the Bruins up by four.
Finally the Canadiens did something five minutes later ironically as guest commentator Ray Bourque said "its a game of mistakes". Nick Suzuki passed it to Xhekaj who literally skated all the way in and shot the puck on a wraparound attempt. The puck went off Cole Caufield's skate and in to break up the shutout with Caulfield getting the credit. Then things went old school as Lane Hutson was called for tripping 10:32 into the period. In the ensuing scrum, Kastelic and Xhekaj had a chinwag that would have made Georges Laraque and Zdeno Chara proud. Both Kastelic and Xhekaj took a ten minute game misconduct and matching roughing penalties into the dressing room. The Bruins failed to cash in on the power play although both Geekie and John Beecher had good chances. With 6:36 left in the period, Koepke beat Primeau clean but it went off the post and out. No other shenanigans happened and the Bruins went into the third period up 4-1.
The Bruins wasted no time essentially putting the game away to begin the third period. Koepke intercepted a pass at the blue line and passed to a streaking Coyle, potting another goal past Primeau to put the Bruins back up by four. The Canadiens struck back two minutes later as Hutson passed ahead to Jake Evans. Evans passed to Emil Heineman who's one timer beat Swayman to inch the Canadiens closer. The Bruins had a big chance for another goal when Coyle passed down low to Kastelic but he couldn't bury the one timer with 13:33 to go. Down the other end, Suzuki took the puck, passed to Caufield who scored to put Montreal back in the game. Justin Brazeau had a wide open chance but couldn't score on Primeau. Worse yet, the Bruins took their first real penalty of the game when Marchand got called for slashing with 10:14 left. The Canadiens came THIS close to scoring when Matheson's shot rang off the post and behind Swayman. Brandon Carlo and Swayman pounced on it just in time. The Bruins killed off the penalty and Montreal took one when Hutson was sent to the box for holding with 7:13 left. Marchand dished it to Pastrnak on the power play but Primeau made the save. The Bruins failed to score but the defense stepped up. With 2:30 left Montreal pulled the goalie for the extra attacker. Kastelic got control of the puck and passed it to Beecher. Beecher sent it over the line to Koepke who scored the empty net goal to seal it. Back in net, Primeau had to stop a slapper from Geekie to make sure the final score wasn't even worse. The Bruins had won the game 6-3.
Joe Sacco doing his best Detective Daniel Reagan impression
Reaction:
Great win by the Bruins over their century old rivals and it was nice to see Pastrnak score for the first time in eight games. Ironically it was the Boston boys who did the most damage. Ex-Boston University alum McAvoy and Weymouth's own Coyle. The only drawback to the game was allowing that third goal to make the game close. If Swayman wants to put himself in the Vezina hunt, he's got to make those stops. Especially when the Bruins are in tight games with their schizophrenic offense. Still, they got it done today with all the ghosts in the building. Sad how the Bruins have been around for 100 years with only 6 Stanley Cups to show for it. Montreal won 6 in the 1970's alone. Still, Montreal hasn't won since 1993 and 2011 is still fresh on the minds of Bruins fans. As for this year's team, they're perfectly mediocre but today was fun. The win improved the Bruins to 12-11-3, four points behind the Florida Panthers for first place in the Atlantic Division and they have a game in hand. The Bruins look for another win against the Detroit Red Wings this Tuesday night at 7:00 PM at TD Garden.
