Log In


Reset Password
  • MENU
    Pro Sports
    Saturday, April 27, 2024

    Bruins finally get some bounces

    Boston's Nathan Horton (18) watches from behind the net as his shot deflects off Montreal goalie Carey Price and into the net for a first-period goal during the Bruins' 4-2 victory Monday night in the NHL playoffs.

    Montreal - David Krejci and Nathan Horton scored first-period goals to lead Boston to a 4-2 win over the Montreal Canadiens on Monday night as the Bruins won on the road after dropping the first two games of their first-round series at home.

    Tim Thomas stopped 34 shots for Boston and Rich Peverley scored in the second. Chris Kelly scored into an empty net with 25.6 seconds remaining.

    Bruins captain Zdeno Chara returned to the lineup after missing Saturday night's 3-2 loss to Montreal after he was hospitalized overnight for dehydration.

    Andrei Kostitsyn, who also missed Game 2, scored the Canadiens' first goal with Boston holding a 3-0 lead 7:03 into the middle period. Tomas Plekanec drew Montreal within one early in the third.

    Carey Price made 21 saves after stopping 65 of 66 in the Canadiens' two wins at the TD Bank Garden and posting a shutout in Thursday's series opening 2-0 win.

    Game 4 is Thursday night.

    The Bruins will practice in Lake Placid on Tuesday and Wednesday, the site of the U.S. hockey team's "Miracle on Ice" in the 1980 Olympics. Coming into the Bell Centre facing a 2-0 series deficit with a streak of six straight playoff losses, it looked as though Boston might need a miracle of its own to solve Price.

    Chara, who played his first game in Montreal since his devastating hit on Max Pacioretty, saw his customary boos turn to cheers when the Bruins were called for too many men 1:08 in after the 6-foot-9 Boston captain jumped on the ice with fellow defenseman Dennis Seidenberg.

    The sold-out crowd of 21,273 was silenced moments later when Seidenberg drew an assist as Krejci beat Price for his first goal at 3:08.

    Chara helped set up Horton's goal at 14:38 as the Bruins stretched their first lead of the series to 2-0.

    After playing virtually error-free hockey through the first two games in Boston, the Canadiens lost their composure in the first period and that carried over into the second.

    Price's clearing pass struck Bruins winger Mark Recchi's skate and bounded to Peverley, who fired the puck into Montreal's unguarded net 2:02 into the middle period to make it 3-0.

    The Canadiens began their comeback bid with Kostitsyn's first goal at 7:03. Michael Cammalleri left a drop pass for Kostitsyn, who burst around Chara and beat Thomas between the pads with a backhand along the ice.

    Cammalleri got his second straight assist as Plekanec drew Montreal within 3-2 4:03 into the third. The Czech center spun around and his shot beat Thomas through the legs again with a shot from the right corner.

    Comment threads are monitored for 48 hours after publication and then closed.