MONTREAL -- The Boston Bruins extended their point streak to 16 games with a 4-1 victory over the Montreal Canadiens Saturday night at Bell Centre. The Bruins are 12-0-4 in this span.
More importantly, Boston produced three wins over the Canadiens this week as Montreal continues to drop in the Atlantic Division standings. Once again, the Bruins received timely scoring from their top line of Brad Marchand, Patrice Bergeron and David Pastrnak. This trio is the best in the NHL right now.
Pastrnak had two goals and an assist, while Torey Krug also scored. Tuukka Rask finished with 22 saves. Rick Nash added an empty-netter with 34.3 seconds remaining.
These teams play again on March 3 at TD Garden.
Pregame notes
Entering Saturday’s game, the Bruins are second in the Atlantic Division with 60 points, while the Canadiens are near the bottom with 44 points, which is nine points removed from the second wild-card spot.
“It’s been a great rivalry and it’s nice to see that we’re on the right side of it the last few games and I’m sure it’ll be a great game tonight,” said Bruce Cassidy.
The Bruins’ coach also admitted there’s a little more motivation to drop the Canadiens further from playoff contention.
“I think there is,” he said. “I don’t think we’re going into the game talking about that, but if it works out that way for us tonight at 10:30 when we’re getting on the plane going out of town there’s always a little extra satisfaction.”
Playing through pain: There’s been so much focus on Tom Brady’s hand this week and whether or not he would be ready to play in the AFC Championship game on Sunday, it’s a good time to remember what Patrice Bergeron played through during Game 6 of the Stanley Cup finals in 2013. He first suffered torn rib cartilage in Game 4 of the finals, a broken rib on his left side in Game 5 and a separated right shoulder and a punctured lung in Game 6. The puncture eventually caused the lung to collapse and he ended up in the hospital for three days after Game 6.
“It was a battle. It was a struggle for sure,” Bergeron recalled Saturday morning. “It wasn’t easy. It was something, at that moment, I was just trying to get through the next shift, basically.”
Despite all those injuries, he admitted there was no way he was going to miss Game 6 at TD Garden.
“It was more figuring out how I was going to play,” he said. “Trying to figure out the options for us to take as much as the pain away with medication and also making sure I was protected along the ribs to not take another big shot.”
No changes: Kevan Miller, who missed the last two games due to illness, rejoined the team in Montreal, participated in the morning skate but will not be in the lineup Saturday night.
“He’s feeling better but we’re going to stick with the same lineup from the last two games on the back end,” Cassidy said.
That means Adam McQuaid will remain in the lineup for now. He missed 36 games after breaking his right fibula on Oct. 19 and was inserted into the lineup when Miller was ill. McQuaid has been solid in the two games he’s played and showed no signs of rust.
“Very steady,” Cassidy said. “He does what Adam McQuaid does; very good on the kill, simple plays, moves the puck, defends hard. He actually added an offensive dimension from the O-zone blue line. During his time out he was working on that part of his game and it shows, so good for him. I thought that would be an area of rust but he’s handled it very well.”
Miller is having his best season of his career and has been an integral part of the defense during the team’s recent streak of success, so keeping him out of the lineup was a difficult decision for Cassidy.
“It’s difficult but I’ve talked to Kevan about it,” Cassidy said. “He hasn’t really had a full practice and we’re going well. I don’t think it’ll be a long-term thing, but I make no promises what our lineup will look like on Tuesday. He understands. Adam went through it and it’s about the (internal) competition we’ve wanted up and down our lineup.”
Masked man: Tuukka Rask will start against the Canadiens. He’s in the midst of a career-best 15-game point streak with a 13-0-2 record. Overall, he’s 16-8-4 with a 2.21 goals-against average and a .920 save percentage in 29 games this season. He’s 9-15-3 with a 2.46 and a .916 in 28 career games against Montreal.
Observations from the third period
- David Pastrnak with his second goal of the game to give the Bruins a 3-1 lead. He's playing well again tonight.
- Check that: No goal. The Bruins were offside.
- Patrice Bergeron scored a power-play goal to give the Bruins a 3-1 lead. His line is the best in the league right now. Even more dangerous on special teams.
- A couple of big shots from Zdeno Chara in this period.
- Brandon Carlo just produced his best backcheck of the season.
- Montreal kills of its penalty.
- Bruins going on the power play. Have a chance to had to their lead before the end of the period.
- Torey Krug gives the Bruins a 2-1 lead with a short-side goal on Carey Price. Sweet drop pass by David Pastrnak to set up the goal.
- Good things happens when you throw the puck on net. Pastrnak's shot from the corner ricochets off Carey Price's pad and goes in to tie the game at 1-1.
- A turnover by Charlie McAvoy in the neutral zone leads to a Max Pacioretty's goal to give Montreal a 1-0 lead.
- Canadiens are getting a few chances early.
- Brad Marchand has mastered the art of the stick check.
- After Zdeno Chara basically just killed that entire penalty by himself, Brad Marchand draws a tripping penalty and Boston's going on the PP.
- Montreal going on the first power play of the game.
- Marchand and Brendan Gallagher going at it a bit in front of the benches.
- Smart move by Sean Kuraly. Instead of taking the puck to the front of the net, he takes two defenders with him and creates a puck battle behind the net to wear down the defense. That could pay dividends later in the game.
- Boston's first goal will come from the point. Focused early on getting pucks to the blue line.
- David Backes making his presence felt early. A couple of big hits.
- Canadiens held a moment of silence for Red Fisher, who passed away Friday.