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Bruins hold off Canadiens in wild game in Montreal
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- Bruins hold off Canadiens in wild game in Montreal
On the strength of yeoman-like penalty killing and terrific goaltending by Jeremy Swayman, the Bruins held off the Canadiens on Saturday at the Bell Centre.
Boston’s 3-1 win leapfrogged them over Montreal into first place in the Atlantic Division.
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In their first meeting of the season, the Bruins and Canadiens produced drama worthy of the rivalry from the first whistle.
The game started with a fight four seconds in and featured 22 penalties for 56 minutes.
Boston (12-8-0) will return home to host Carolina on Monday.
Marat Khusnutdinov opened the scoring at even strength, 8:38 into the game, but Jake Evans tied the game with a shorthanded goal, less than four minutes later.
Even though the period ended 1-1, the Bruins had momentum after killing a late 5-on-3 for 1:27.
After Mason Lohrei put the Bruins ahead 2-1, exactly two minutes into the third, the Boston penalty killers were taxed again. After they killed an even longer 5-on-3 (1:49), they had nine seconds of 5-on-5 before Hampus Lindholm was called for interference.
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The Bruins killed that one too, and then their power play stretched their lead to 3-1. Viktor Arvidsson converted a pretty pass from Pavel Zacha with 3:09 left in the second.
Cole Caufield cut Boston’s lead to 3-2 with 1:16 left in the second, but Swayman held the fort from there.
The Bruins goalie won his fifth straight game with 28 saves, including 11 in the third.
Boston’s penalty killers erased seven Canadiens’ power plays for 10:44, including 3:16 of 5-on-3.
It wasn’t all good for the Bruins, who lost Charlie McAvoy to a facial injury in the second.
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