MONTREAL — Patrice Bergeron scored in a shootout to
give the Boston Bruins a 2-1 preseason victory over the Montreal Canadiens on
Thursday night.
Bergeron slammed on the brakes after approaching from the
right side and beat Jaroslav Halak with Boston's second attempt.
Tim Thomas stopped Scott Gomez on Montreal's third and
final try.
Sergei Kostitsyn scored early in the second to put
Montreal up 1-0, and Mark Stuart drew the Bruins even 1:37 into the third
period.
Thomas stopped 33 shots for the Bruins (4-1-1).
Halak made 26 saves for Montreal (3-2-1).
Canadiens left wing Mike Cammalleri left the game because
of an undisclosed lower- body injury after the first period. He did not return.
Kostitsyn pushed home Tomas Plekanec's rebound from the
right edge of the crease 59 seconds into the second after the puck became loose
behind Thomas.
Stuart tied it early in the third when he took Michael
Ryder's centering pass from behind the net and put a backhand past Halak.
Bruins center Vladimir Sobotka collided with Halak
behind the Canadiens' net later in the period, sending the Slovak goalie's mask
flying. No penalty was called on the play as players from both teams exchanged
words. Halak lay on the ice for several moments, though he remained in the game.
Montreal coach Jacques Martin used his timeout 3:50 into
overtime after Boston was called for too many men with four seconds remaining in
Canadiens right wing Matt D'Agostini's minor penalty.
Bruins coach Claude Julien used a similar opportunity to
strategize when he called time after D'Agostini was sent off for tripping Andrew
Ference at 1:53.
The Canadiens held a 34-27 advantage in shots overall,
including a 5-4 edge in overtime despite killing D'Agostini's entire penalty.
Boston's Guillaume Lefebvre had a lengthy bout with
Gregory Stewart 12:44 into the first that left the Montreal left wing with a
gash over his right eyebrow.