BSJ Live Coverage: Bruins 2 vs Canadiens 2 (2nd) - Bruins allow breakaway to start 2nd period

WHO: Bruins (20-16-1) at Canadiens (19-12-5)
WHEN: 7 p.m.
WHERE: TD Garden, Boston
TV: NESN
RADIO: 98.5-FM The Sports Hub

PROJECTED LINES

Boston

Geekie - E. Lindholm - Pastrnak

Mittelstadt - Zacha - Arvidsson

Jeannot - Minten - Kastelic

Steeves - Kuraly - Khusnutdinov

Zadorov - McAvoy

H. Lindholm - Peeke

Kolyachonok - Lohrei

Swayman

Korpisalo

Canadiens

Caufield - Suzuki - Bolduc

Slafkovsky - Kapanen - Demidov

Texier - Danualt - Anderson

Blais - Veleno - Gallagher

Matheson - Dobson

Hutson - Carrier

Xhekaj - Engstrom

Fowler

Dobes

PREGAME NOTES

The Boston Bruins play the final game of their five-game home stand with a matchup against the Montreal Canadiens before Christmas.

Two points separate the Bruins and Canadiens in the Atlantic division. The Bruins know this is an important game. “We can feel the importance. You can call it the most important game we’ve had this year. It’s a big game for us and we need to bounce back ahead of the Christmas break,” David Pastrnak said on Monday. “It’s the Montreal Canadiens. It’s very easy to get motivated, especially the way the last couple of games went. It’s a must-win.”

The Toronto Maple Leafs fired former Bruin Marc Savard from their coaching staff. Savard was in charge of Toronto's power play, which ranks dead last in the NHL at 13.3%.