*Photo from MassLive*
For the first time in a long time, hockey's most storied rivalry got back in action. Charlie McAvoy scored two goals, Charlie Coyle scored two goals, and the Boston Bruins defeated the Montreal Canadiens 5-2 on Sunday night.
After not playing each other in the short last season, it had been 641 days since the Bruins and Canadiens squared off, the last time being a Boston win at TD Garden in February of 2020. Both sides were itching to get back at each other, and this time, the Bruins came out on top, much to the delight of the home crowd.
Bruins head coach Bruce Cassidy said of playing Montreal that "In the second period, we had zero puck luck. In the third, we stuck with it and got lots, so good for us. It's not one of 82 games when it's against Montreal. It isn't to me, and it shouldn't be to anybody that knows anything about the Boston Bruins. There's always more energy. We want to beat them every time we're on the ice."
Joel Armia put the Canadiens on the board first, scoring 8:09 into the game, his first goal of the season, to give Montreal a 1-0 lead. In the second period, McAvoy struck for Boston, scoring his second goal of the season to tie the game 1-1, coming 8:27 into the period. 16:25 into the second, Michael Pezzetta scored his first NHL goal, putting the Canadiens ahead 2-1 after two periods.
On the power play to start the 3rd period, McAvoy tied the game back up, making it a 2-2 tie just 2:14 into the period. 5:58 in, Coyle scored his first goal of the night as the puck went off his head and into the net, putting the Bruins up 3-2. 9:05 into the period was when Coyle got his second, this one actually going off his stick to make it a 4-2 lead for Boston. Taylor Hall sealed the win with a late empty net goal to make it 5-2.
Coyle said of the goal bouncing off his helmet that "I'll take more of those. Sometimes you get a little lucky. ou try to play the right way, and sometimes you get bounces going your way. I got a really good bounce there. It was a big goal. It got me right in the visor. I just got lucky. It doesn't happen very often."
Jeremy Swayman made the start for the Bruins, his first in the Boston-Montreal rivalry. Swayman performed well, saving 27 of the 29 shots the Canadiens sent his way, posting a .931 save percentage. His home record now sits at a perfect 8-0-0 in his career, and he now has a 5-2-0 record to start the season.
With Jake Allen injured, Sam Montembeault made the start for the Canadiens, and had a rocky night. Montembeault saved 36 of 40 shots from the Bruins offense, posting an even .900 save percentage in his 3rd start of the season. His record now sits at 0-3-1 in 5 appearances for the Canadiens.
Canadiens head coach Dominique Ducharme said "Playing on a back to back, you've got to be making strong plays and strong decisions. Just a few plays can keep you in the zone, then everyone's tired, it's hard for the defense to change, and it snowballs. So, we've got to be better that way. That's something we know how to do, and we've got to do it better."
The Bruins have plenty of rest heading in to their next game, as they don't play again until they face the Philadelphia Flyers on Saturday night, with Linus Ullmark likely back in net. The Canadiens square off with the New York Rangers on Tuesday night, with Allen possibly returning to start.
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