The Boston Bruins came out flying Saturday night, with Pavel Zacha tipping Charlie McAvoy’s shot attempt past Canadiens netminder Sam Montembeault just 36 seconds in.
If only they could sustain that energy from the opening shift.
The Bruins felt fortunate that their 1-0 lead remained intact through the first 40 minutes. The Habs, usually the more skilled team of the two, outmuscled the Bruins along the walls and in open ice. The Bruins, meanwhile, struggled to generate chances off the rush and had a difficult time clearing pucks away from Jeremy Swayman’s crease.