It wasn’t as easy as five days ago, but the Bruins extended their win streak to seven games thanks to three unanswered goals in the third period.
Boston trailed for much of the game, with Montreal leading from 1:58 after puck drop until the Bruins tied it in the final 20 minutes on David Pastrnak’s 25th (!) goal of the season. David Backes potted the game-winner in his return to the lineup and Jake DeBrusk added one of his own to help give the Black and Gold a 3-1 win at TD Garden.
Joel Armia accounted for the Habs’ only tally of the night.
Tuukka Rask turned away 28 pucks, while Carey Price stopped 31.
With the win, the Bruins moved to 19-3-5, while the Canadiens fell to 11-10-6.
Here’s how it all went down.
VISITORS STRIKE FIRST
The Habs broke the scoreless tie just 1:58 into the game.
An ugly Zdeno Chara turnover behind the Bruins’ net led to Armia easily taking the puck from the defenseman and backhanding it off Charlie McAvoy’s skates and past Rask for the 1-0 lead.
Joel Armia has a knack for scoring quick goals. pic.twitter.com/0wTljS2AWL
— NHL (@NHL) December 2, 2019
Boston went on the penalty kill with 5:22 left in the opening period when McAvoy was whistled for a high stick. Although the B’s were unable to find a seam and get the puck out of the zone for a majority of the two minutes, Montreal did not capitalize and it remained a one-goal game.
The Canadiens held a slim 11-10 shot advantage after one.
SCORELESS, BUT SPICY SECOND
There were no goals from either side through the middle period, but the B’s showed a spark toward the end of it.
Shea Weber hit Pastrnak and he responded by the top-line winger shoving him back. A melee sparked between the opposing lines, with DeBrusk and Brendan Gallagher getting tangled up before DeBrusk tackled Gallagher to the ice. Torey Krug was being held back as the rest of the squads went at each other at center ice. The kerfuffle resulted in Gallagher, DeBrusk going off for roughing, while Weber went to the box for interference.
Armia leveled Pastrnak moments later and knocked off the winger’s helmet, but no penalty was called.
Boston didn’t score and still found itself down 1-0 at the end of 40, but the team certainly got some life back into it. The B’s outshot the Habs 10-8.
WELCOME BACK(ES)
Pastrnak finally got the B’s on the board at the 6:16 mark of the third period.
The winger absolutely smoked one off the rush past Price from the right faceoff circle to make it 1-1 and extended his league lead to 25 goals.
No. 25 was an absolute beauty.@pastrnak96 | #NHLBruins pic.twitter.com/QSFkJPofr2
— Boston Bruins (@NHLBruins) December 2, 2019
The B’s went on the power play when Nick Cousins was whistled for hooking Krug, and it allowed Boston to take its first lead of the game.
Backes, who was playing in his first game since Nov. 2, took a David Krejci feed and hammered it home from the high slot to make it 2-1 with 10:29 gone from the period.
Welcome back, @dbackes42.#NHLBruins pic.twitter.com/h0TJRgpdgs
— Boston Bruins (@NHLBruins) December 2, 2019
DeBrusk then got in on the fun, potting the third unanswered goal for Boston with a beautiful give-and-go goal with help from Charlie Coyle.
74 ➡️ 13 ➡️ 74 ?@JDebrusk | @CharlieCoyle_3 pic.twitter.com/8NhnYeiPPz
— Boston Bruins (@NHLBruins) December 2, 2019
And the Habs never could come back as the B’s notched their seventh straight win.
UP NEXT
The Bruins get a day off before welcoming the Carolina Hurricanes to Boston on Tuesday. Puck drop from TD Garden is set for 7 p.m. ET.
