Brad Marchand scored the game-winning goal 34 seconds into overtime and the Boston Bruins snatched a narrow 3-2 win over the Montreal Canadiens on Monday night at the Bell Center after a turbulent few hours for general manager Kent Hughes earlier during the day.
Posted at 10:01 p.m.
Artturi Lehkonen, Brett Kulak and Andrew Hammond all packed up before the deadline to make NHL trades. Despite the departure of these three regular players, the Canadian did not seem in any way intimidated by the Bruins, who are nevertheless in the heart of a race for a place in the playoffs.
David Savard and Joel Armia blackened the score sheet for the Canadian (17-36-10), who was hoping to record a second victory in a row.
Marchand, twice, and Connor Clifton hit the target for the Bruins (39-19-5), who savored a second straight win.
Jake Allen made his third consecutive start in front of the Canadian net. He again offered a solid performance, stopping 43 shots.
At the other end of the rink, Jeremy Swayman made 26 saves.
Even if the two teams are not fighting for the same stakes this season, they started the meeting with a good level of intensity. Several skirmishes broke out from the first moments of the match, recalling the good years of the rivalry between the two clubs.
Merchant – who else? – opened the scoring for the Bruins at 9:21 of the first period. This was his 26and net this season.
PHOTO FRANÇOIS ROY, THE PRESS
Jake Allen makes quite a save in front of Brad Marchand in 3and period.
The Canadian, however, did not give up.
Savard brought both teams back to square one midway through the second period, beating Swayman with a backhand shot from the slot. It was his second goal of the season, and his first since Dec. 28 against his former team, the Tampa Bay Lightning.
Armia then gave the Canadian the lead by taking advantage of an error by Marchand to escape and fire a wrist shot over Swayman’s glove, shorthanded at 1:13 of the third period.
PHOTO FRANÇOIS ROY, THE PRESS
Joel Armia celebrates his goal in 3and period.
Clifton, however, tied it 2-2 with three minutes left on the clock, setting the stage for Marchand’s game-winning goal in overtime.
It was the third game between the Canadiens and the Bruins this season. The Massachusetts squad are now 3-0 after winning 5-2 on Nov. 14 and 5-1 on Jan. 12.
Forward Brendan Gallagher missed the game due to “an illness unrelated to COVID-19,” the Canadian said in the morning.
The Canadiens will host the Florida Panthers on Thursday night at the Bell Centre. This could be former Habs defenseman Ben Chiarot’s first game with his new roster.