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Boston Bruins too strong for the Habs

 Michaël Petit
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Boston Bruins too strong for the Habs
Credit: This Thanksgiving weekend, the Montreal Canadiens played two games in as many days. Yesterday, Kirby Dach’s late penalty sank the Habs, who lost to the Rangers. Sunday afternoon and early evening saw the 100th anniversary game of the Boston Bruins, who hosted their Montreal rivals for the occasion. According to the official schedule, the game […]
This Thanksgiving weekend, the Montreal Canadiens played two games in as many days.

Yesterday, Kirby Dach’s late penalty sank the Habs, who lost to the Rangers.

Sunday afternoon and early evening saw the 100th anniversary game of the Boston Bruins, who hosted their Montreal rivals for the occasion.

According to the official schedule, the game was due to start at 3 p.m., but the ceremony lasted a while and the game finally got underway at around 4:15.

Just before the start of the game, we learned that Jayden Struble would be inserted into the lineup at the expense of Justin Barron.

So here’s the final lineup the Habs featured for the Bruins centennial game:

Ken Dryden and Johnny Bucyk were on hand to drop the ceremonial puck.

What’s more, the Canadiens could count on the help of a third goaltender tonight, as Jacob Fowler was present at the game (in the stands).

Maybe it’s just me, but I think Fowler is looking more and more like Kaiden Guhle and I’m also noticing Cole Caufield traits.

Anyway, on to the match.

The first half of the first period was relatively quiet, but it didn’t take long before the Bruins decided to open the machine.

Following Charlie McAvoy’s first goal, the Bruins added two more for a total of three goals in just 70 seconds.

Let’s just say it wasn’t the start Primeau and the Habs had hoped for, and some fans were clamoring for Fowler to make his NHL debut tonight, even though that’s impossible.

Martin St-Louis called timeout to stop the bleeding (temporarily).

It worked for the remainder of the first period, but the Bruins decided to turn the tables, taking the score to 4-0.

Charlie McAvoy scored his second of the game on a short-handed breakaway, following a Mike Matheson turnover.

The veteran had a pretty bad game, especially in the first half.

Not only was Matheson responsible for that 4th goal, but the powerplay in general was atrocious, especially on this occasion.

It’s really pitiful, as my colleague Marc-Olivier Cook so aptly put it.

In short, despite these four unanswered goals, Cole Caufield finally put an end to this rain of goals with his 15th of the season, a few minutes after Boston’s 4th goal.

The play was started by Arber Xhekaj, who gave the Bruins a quick one by discreetly passing the puck in front of the net. The disc was finally deflected by Cole Caufield to close the gap.

Some thought the goal belonged to Xhekaj, but it was the diminutive forward who was credited with the net.

Midway through the second period, there was a bit of a ruckus between the two teams, and of course, Xhekaj and Mark Kastelic were at the heart of it.

It all started with a collision between Kastelic and Lane Hutson, who took out his knee on the Bruins’ tough guy.

Trent Frederic approached Xhekaj, but the Boston player didn’t stay on his feet for long.

Finally Kastelic got involved, went to Xhekaj and a referee was caught between the two toughs. The referee was even punched in the back of the head by Xhekaj…

Watch the sequence for yourself.

The result of the scuffle: two minutes of roughing and 10 minutes of misconduct for Xhekaj and Kastelic, while Hutson found himself on the bench for his knee strike.

For a moment, before learning that Xhekaj and Kastelic would each receive a misconduct, Hutson was in the middle of it all in the penalty box, and he looked out of place.

The second period ended 4-1 in favor of the Bears.

It took a strong third period for the Habs, but it was the Bruins who got the final period underway (quickly) with a goal, thanks to Charlie Coyle’s second of the game.

However, a message was heard after that goal, and the Habs somehow got the ball rolling.

No less than two quick goals.

Emil Heineman got the ball rolling with a fine shot on goal that beat Jeremy Swayman.

Lane Hutson and Jake Evans were credited with assists on the goal.

Only a few minutes later, Cole Caufield also scored his second goal of the game.

That, my friends, is the fruit of a true maverick.

What a shot!

That makes 16 for the diminutive forward this season, while captain Nick Suzuki picked up an assist.

The score was 5-3 to Boston.

Unlike the rest of the game, the remainder of the last twenty minutes was relatively quiet.

Martin St-Louis decided to pull Cayden Primeau with nearly three minutes left in the game, but unfortunately, it wasn’t the right Cole who scored.

Cole Koepke confirmed his team’s victory with a goal in an empty net.

The game ended 6-3.

The Habs next face the New York Islanders on Tuesday night, kicking off a five-game homestand.


Overtime

– Following Emil Heineman’s goal, Marc Denis shared an interesting statistic. Heineman leads all NHL rookies in the number of shots on goal attempted this season.

– During the game, RDS published a statistic concerning the Habs’ poor defense (and goaltending). This was the 13th game out of 24 in which the Habs allowed at least four goals in the same game…

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