The Boston Bruins evened up the season series with the Montreal Canadiens Monday night at the TD Garden with a 3-2 victory over their rival. Tim Thomas made 33 saves in his 22nd start this season and Brad Marchand had the game winner on a nifty play where he ended up on the ice as he put the puck in the net. Only four total penalties were called the entire game and none were for roughing or fighting as one might expect in a matchup between these two teams.
As far as game notables go, this game was the 600th of Joe Corvo’s career and would also be the first time the Bruins faced Tomas Kaberle as a member of the Habs. Milan Lucic was absent from the lineup due to his suspension from his hit on Zac Rinaldo on Saturday against the Philadelphia Flyers.
A back and forth pace started off the period but it would be the Bruins who jumped on the board first. Rich Peverley won a faceoff against former Bruin Petteri Nokelainen and made a pass to Benoit Pouliot in front of the net who wristed it at the net and beat Carey Price to make it 1-0. An assist to Peverely had his point streak extend to four games as he now has seven in (two goals, five assists).
Montreal would even the score just 73 seconds later at the 13:26 mark with a goal from Tomas Plekanac. Plekanac started the play when he took possession of the puck at the defensive blueline and skated hard toward the opposing net. His shot was denied but he looped around the net as Mike Cammalleri handled the rebound and backhanded the puck to Plekanac for the goal.
The score stayed tied through the remainder of the first but Boston would pull ahead early in the second with a goal from David Krejci. Andrew Ference had the puck behind the net and passed it to Krejci who tipped it in to make it 2-1. Although it was called a goal on the ice, the play went under review but it was found that there was no distinct kicking motion and the call stood.
After a period absent of penalties, there were a few called in the middle frame but the typical fighting and roughing that typically come up when Montreal and Boston play. Neither team would score on their power play chances despite Boston getting a four minutes of power play time when Louis Leblanc was assessed for a double minor for high sticking.
It seemed like every player was hitting a post as the period went on but none went into the net and the Bruins headed to the dressing room up by a goal.
Tim Thomas made some incredible save in the final 20 minutes of play but he was not the only one making saves as Gregory Campbell dove to clear the puck on the power play.
The Bruins made it 3-1 at 14:14 when Tyler Seguin fed a pass to Marchand, who almost got tripped up by Price, and he scored as he was falling. The goal comparable to one from Alex Ovechkin was Marchand’s 12th of the season while, if anyone is counting, Ovechkin only has 10.
Erik Cole put the Habs within a goal with under a minute and a half to go when Price was pulled but it was not enough to spur a comeback and the Bruins came out on top with a 3-2 win to give them five in a row.