Bobby Orr and the Big, Bad Bruins took the ice tonight to raise their fourth and fifth Stanley Cup banners, a warm sight given this kind of ceremony didn’t happen until the New York Rangers won the Cup in 1994 and came back to the lockout-delayed 1995 season with the Cup in Madison Square Garden.
The Bruins may have requested, but the Cup was not part of tonight’s pregame festivities.
THIRD PERIOD
Allen starts the third period for Montreal.
Canadiens sustain some pressure, but their best chance is canceled by a hand pass.
Montgomery is sticking by Mason Lohrei with Charlie McAvoy, but the rookie has had his D-zone hiccups. McAvoy will be charged on the official stats sheet with a turnover that led to that last session of Montreal offense, but it was Lohrei’s handoff that created the problem.
There is no substitute for experience, so the Bruins are working with Lohrei hoping to accelerate his learning curve whenever affordable.
van Riemsdyk made it 5-1 on the powerplay at 5:39 of the third with Slafkovsky in the box for holding a Bruin’s stick. Brilliant play by Marchand at the right post, putting the shot-pass from Pastrnak back to JVR at the open side of the goalmouth.
The “nah-nah-nah” singers begin their chorus, transitioning into a mock “Ole, ole ole ole …”
Johnny Beecher made two excellent passes in the attacking zone to, at once, elude Montreal’s interceptors and, at the same time, find the Boston stick at the point without overplaying the puck. Not only has Boston’s fourth line been disruptive tonight, they’ve controlled possession and created scoring chances.
Defenseman Johnathan Kovacevic scored the Canadiens’ second goal with 4:31 remaining in regulation.
SECOND PERIOD
The Canadiens thought they’d be getting a powerplay with Hampus Lindholm took down Nick Suzuki in the neutral zone, but instead Boston came away with the puck and Lindholm got it again, passing to Zacha for the goal that made it 3-0.
It was a pivotal moment in a game the Bruins have been determined to win but also one in which the Canadiens have put together some sustained pressure.
Oskar Steen has been a handful for Montreal, the diminutive fire plug causing the Canadiens all kinds of problems in their own end.
Poitras got rocked at the Bruins bench as he carried over the line, and Danton Heinen wrapped at his assailant without result.
Reunited, Marchand, Pastrnak and Zacha nearly scored a fourth goal, Marchand’s move in tight trickling just wide of the right post.
Juraj Slafkovsky got Montreal on the board from the left circle, converting a Suzuki pass with 6:56 remaining in the period.
Fourteen seconds later, Frederic went to the penalty box for high sticking, putting the Canadiens on the powerplay.
Frederic scored out of the box at 15:30 to make it 4-1, and raise speculation as to whether Martin St. Louis would pull Allen for Sam Montembreault. It did not happen, but we’ll be watching when Montreal returns for Period 3.
Michael Pezzetta collided at center with Poitras, putting the Bruins on the powerplay on an interference call with 4:00 left in the frame.
As an aside, the “’70s music” blaring at TD Garden tonight is mostly dance music that is from later if not late in the decade, not the soundtrack of the Big, Bad Bruins.
The Bruins nearly converted, and as Pezzetta’s penalty expired, shots were 32-16 Boston.
Frederic pleased the hometown crowd by knocking down Montreal defenseman Jordan Harris in the final minute.
Shots after two: 33-16 Boston.
FIRST PERIOD
Jake Allen and Jeremy Swayman between the pipes.
Charlie McAvoy connected on a one-timer at 7:11 of the first period while the Bruins were on a two-man advantage. The Bruins had just killed off a Montreal powerplay.
Montreal started the game with an effective shift despite being on the bench and sitting/waiting for the game.
Pavel Zacha had a monster shift, one of his better ones overall since moving to center. Once again, he is slotted between Brad Marchand and David Pastrnak on what Rink Rap is calling the Confection Line because, when Zacha plays this aggressively, it’s a sweet combination with Boston’s two superstar wingers.
The Beecher-Steen-Lauko line stirred it up, Lauko in full cage but not letting his comeback circumstances inhibit his game. He threw the body, and helped Steen make Allen work to knock away his shot from the circle.
Jake DeBrusk set up Danton Heinen for a close-range whack at Allen, who stood his ground.
With five minutes left in the opening period, Swayman turned away Brendan Gallagher, who showed some of his old legs with a partial-breakaway bid.
The Canadiens pushed late in the period, but again Swayman stopped a formidable shot, this one a tip from the point.
Bruins coach Jim Montgomery juggled lines late in the period.
Trent Frederic added a late-period goal to send the Bruins to the dressing room with a 2-0 lead.
Rink Rap with Mick Colageo 