Blanked: Thomas, Bruins Shutout Habs, Extend Win Streak To Nine

For a while at the beginning of their win streak, the Bruins were winning pretty. With the exception of a 6-0 whitewash of the New York Islanders on Saturday, they're winning ugly lately. 

But, they're still winning. 

Rich Peverley set up an Andrew Ference goal on a delayed penalty call against Montreal late in the first period, and the Bruins looked poised to carry that lead through the rest of the game as Montreal struggled in the neutral zone and between the faceoff dots in the attacking zone, but a couple of foolish Benoit Pouliot penalties late in the second period gave Montreal chances to break through. 

The Bruins managed to clog the Canadiens at the red line, but even when the Habs gained the zone with ease, they couldn't get the puck into the middle of the ice with any regularity, fighting against great stickwork and physical play from the Boston defense on the outside of the slot.

And when they did manage to get the puck in deep, Tim Thomas was on his game. 

It's tough to say that anyone other than Thomas and Price deserved recognition for their play, but Rich Peverley also had a very strong game for Boston, as did the Patrice Bergeron line, which was at the center of numerous counter-attacking shifts in the second and third periods. 

Of course, it was Peverley's penalty for cross-checking with 1:39 to play in the game that gave Montreal's power play another chance to get the tying marker, and this time they didn't let the 21,000 plus in attendance down. 

Ultimately, it was Bergeron who won two key faceoffs to clear the zone, and Thomas turning away the last few shots by Montreal to extend his shutout streak to 133:04 and the Bruins' win streak to nine. 

Boston is now in first place in the Northeast Division with games in hand on every team in the division, and is in second place in the Eastern Conference.