First period
- An early shot from Mike Matheson glances off the post.
- A lane opens up for Elias Lindholm, but Samuel Montembeault stops him one-on-one.
- Cole Caufield keeps the puck on a two-on-one with Nick Suzuki, but Jeremy Swayman blockers it away.
- The game is being played more evenly than it should be right now. The Canadiens can pay hard for one period and probably have the Bruins resigned to another loss.
- Instead, Alexandre Carrier drags his foot in front of David Pastrnak while defending a rush, and Boston receives the first power play of the game.
- Montreal didn’t allow a shot on goal on that penalty kill. Now carry that energy to five-on-five.
- Alex Newhook goes to the net and presents his stick for a pass. He gets a good deflection, but Swayman is there.
- Montreal is started to make more plays into the slot. That’s their best method of creating offence. Kaiden Guhle very nearly gets to a loose puck to open the scoring but Swayman is standing tall right now.
- Christian Dvorak’s line gets two point-blank chances, one off each post.
- Samuel Montembeault makes a save on a breakaway and clearly has it covered. Patrick Brown comes in and shoves the goaltender into the net anyway. The end result after the ensuing scrum is a Montreal power play, as it should be.
- A chance to get the 1-0 lead before the intermission.
- Zero excuses for getting outshot by the Bruins in that period. That effort isn’t enough from a team fighting for the post-season.
Second period
- That’s a better start to the second. Just after the power play comes to an end, Christian Dvorak pounces on a bouncing puck in the slot, spins, and rips it past Swayman to open the scoring. That line has been living in the slot so far this game.
THE SEASON OF DVO CONTINUES
— Scott Matla (@scottmatla.bsky.social) April 3, 2025 at 9:11 PM
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- The line attempts to double up on the shift, but Nikita Zadorov intercepts a pass from Dvorak meant for Josh Anderson.
- Carrier has Swayman down and out and thinks he has an open net, but the goaltender throws out his glove and makes an incredible stop.
- Boston has no answer for Montreal’s pressure right now. This is the way this game should be going.
- Emil Heineman gets taken down hard into the boards after getting a shot on net. He’s slow to get up.
- Montreal is really exposing the fact that Boston is a one-skater team right now. Unfortunately, tonight they also have a goalie.
- Boston finally gets its first shot with six minutes to play, and there’s a fight between Kaiden Guhle and Cole Koepke immediately afterward.
- Montreal was playing defence following a faceoff loss. Two passes later it’s a two-on-one led by Cole Caufield. He loses the handle on the puck however.
- Fear not, because they get another odd-man rush moments later. This time Suzuki is the playmaker, and sets up Caufield’s 35th goal of the season.
Nick Suzuki just sent Henri Jokiharju to the Shadow Realm and Cole Caufield makes it 2-0
— Scott Matla (@scottmatla.bsky.social) April 3, 2025 at 9:37 PM
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- That two-goal lead is a big on. Boston has scored more than two goals twice during this nine-game losing streak.
- It also takes away some stress when the Bruins aren’t just one Pastrnak shot away from tying the game.
- After a long shift in the offensive zone from the top line, Juraj Slafkovský has the puck coming toward him on a carom off the end boards and Swayman up at the top of his crease, but the winger can’t get his stick on the puck to knock it in.
- Slafkovský had some words for Swayman afterward, and I’m not a fan of that. Swayman is the only player doing anything for Boston right now. Don’t inspire his teammates to join him in the battle.
- That was a much better period. The Canadiens stopped playing the Boston Bruins and began playing the worst team in the Eastern Conference. If Montreal can hold Boston to three shots in the third period, they should be in pretty good shape.
Third period
- It took 13 seconds for the Bruins to do what took them 13 minutes in the second period: test Samuel Montembeault with a shot.
- The Bruins have come out with a bit of energy. Montreal might need to survive a few shifts of pressure.
- Caufield picks off a puck in the neutral zone, but shoots a bit wide looking for his second goal of the game.
- Brendan Gallagher takes advantage of some work along the wall from Jake Evans and makes it 3-0.
Brendan Gallagher converts the feed from Casey Mittelstadt(who does not play for the Habs) 3-0 Habs!
— Scott Matla (@scottmatla.bsky.social) April 3, 2025 at 10:11 PM
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- That might just be the crushing blow, but they can’t just stop playing.
- The fans are confident enough in the lead to start singing. Not often they’ve gotten to do that versus Boston
- Heineman blasts a shot off the post. He could really use a goal right now.
- David Savard is off to the box after venturing out to the point and then getting his stick in Andrew Peeke’s feet as he walks around him.
- I think Montreal had the puck in Boston’s zone more than vice versa. “Is this what the penalty ill looks like when Savard isn’t out there?” Matt Drake asks in our Slack channel. A handy draining of two minutes off the clock.
- It’s just a shooting gallery for Montreal right now.
- RDS shows Pastrnak stealing Slafkovský’s stick and taking it to the bench. A little Czech Republic versus Slovakia subplot. I suppose Pastrnak has to come with ways to entertain himself in these final weeks.
- The Canadiens are starting to let up a bit here and more pucks are getting to Montembeault. They haven’t won this game yet.
- And now they have a goal, with a point going to Pastrnak.
- Swayman has gone to the bench. whether he was called there or just wanted to sit down for a bit I don’t know.
- Nick Suzuki hits the net Swayman defended so well for 58 minutes, and this game will finish 4-1.
Jake Evans gives up the ENG to Nick Suzuki, and Suzuki is at 81 points on the year now 4-1 Habs!
— Scott Matla (@scottmatla.bsky.social) April 3, 2025 at 10:41 PM
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- Selfless play by Evans to give Suzuki his 26th goal, and 81st point.
- Is this the night the wind changes direction in this rivalry for the next few years? It just might be.
EOTP 3 Stars
3) And all signed until the end of the 2029-30 season
2) They’re looking good right now
1) One more point to go
