Hockey
Canadiens 5, Bruins 2: point streak hits 12 as Montreal grabs a share of first in the Atlantic
The Montreal Canadiens won the battle for first place. On Thursday night at TD Garden, Montreal beat the Boston Bruins 5-2, scoring the first five goals of the game and extending its point streak to 12 games. With 28 points, the Canadiens now share first place in the Atlantic Division with the Tampa Bay Lightning, who won 3-1 in Columbus. Boston, beaten for the first time in five games, drops to third with 27 points. The win also snapped the Bruins' four-game winning streak and their seven-game home winning streak.
Five goals, then the lockdown
Montreal struck fast and hard. Kirby Dach opened the scoring 2:34 into the game, and Josh Anderson doubled the lead at 8:36 of the first period. In the second, Jake Evans scored the game-winner at 4:24, before Cole Caufield and Phillip Danault made it 5-0. The Bruins answered with two goals from Casey Mittelstadt, late in the second period and then 53 seconds into the third, but the damage was done. Boston outshot Montreal 32-30 and never got back into the game. Montreal went 0-for-4 on the power play, but it did not matter: at even strength, the Canadiens controlled the first two periods.
Fowler, decisive again
Jacob Fowler was the man of the match once again. The rookie stopped 30 of the 32 shots he faced, earning a second career win in Boston, the city where he played his college hockey. At the other end, Jeremy Swayman was pulled after allowing four goals on 17 shots; his replacement, Michael DiPietro, stopped 13 of the 14 shots he faced. The Montreal goaltender, named the NHL's Rookie of the Month for October, keeps confirming game after game that he has taken the No. 1 job for good. The only dark cloud: forward Chris Kreider left the game in the third period after an open-ice collision with Michael Eyssimont and did not return.
Twelve games without a regulation loss
The Montreal run is starting to look like a real statement. The Canadiens have not lost in regulation since October 14 in Washington: 9 wins and 3 overtime losses in 12 games, the best points percentage in the league over that stretch. Montreal is also unbeaten against its division rivals, with a perfect 6-0-0 record. The win also gave head coach Martin St. Louis his 175th victory behind the Canadiens bench. Next up: Saturday at Bell Centre against the Colorado Avalanche, for Hockey Fights Cancer Night. A 13th straight game with a point is within reach.