Recap: Bruins double up on Canadiens, 6-3, in Centennial Game

The Charlies had two goals apiece in the win.

The Boston Bruins capped off their 100-year celebration with a 6-3 win over the Montreal Canadiens Sunday at the TD Garden.

In its Centennial Game, the Bruins yet again beat Montreal like they did on Dec. 1, 1924.

Charlie McAvoy and Charlie Coyle each scored two goals in the win. Jeremy Swayman made 26 saves in the win.

After a bit of a lull to start the game, the Bruns ended the first up 3-0. McAvoy opened the scoring with a wrap-around goal while David Pastrnak and Coyle added two tallies within 15 seconds of each other.

McAvoy capitalized on a breakaway early into the second to give the Bruins a commanding four-goal lead. But Arber Xhakej would make it 4-1 minutes later to get Montreal on the board.

Coyle extended the lead, and ended the Bruins third-period drought in 13 home games by deking out Montreal goaltender Cayden Primeau 21 seconds in.

But the Canadiens found some life, making it a 5-3 game with plenty of time left on the clock. Cole Koepke eventually solidifed the Bruins’ win with an empty-net goal.

While the Bruins came away with a confidence-boosting win, it also was a big win for a locker room to try to make the alumni proud in attendance for the Centennial festivities.

“It’s extremely motivating,” Swayman said. “Hearing in the locker how much of an honor it is to wear this jersey and the people that came before us…the community and the fans and how much they mean to us, to this city and this organization. It just a really great moment to share with the guys and truly understand what we’re representing.”

Here are the highlights!

First period:

Charlie McAvoy skated into the offensive zone, wrapped around the net and got one past Cayden Primeau’s right skate at 11:45 of the first period. 1-0 Bruins.

After David Pastrnak tried to set up Pavel Zacha at the far post, Morgan Geekie sent a short pass to Zacha behind the net before he found Pastrnak in the right-wing circle for a quick one-timer at 12:40 of the first period. 2-0 Bruins.

Charlie Coyle found the rebound from Mark Kastelic’s shot in the slot where he then backhanded a shot past Primeau and his blocker-side post at 12:55 of the first period. 3-0 Bruins.

Second period:

On the penalty kill, McAvoy was sprung loose on a breakaway, carries the puck through three zones before sending a backhander past Primeau’s right skate 38 seconds into the second period. 4-0 Bruins.

Arber Xhekaj fired a backhand on net that hit the post and bounced in the net at 5:42 of the second period. 4-1 game.

Third period:

Cole Koepke stole the puck in the neutral zone. Skating into the o-zone on a 3-on-2, he fed a pass to Coyle in the slot who faked out Primeau before tucking in a low shot just 21 seconds into the third period. 5-1 Bruins.

After regrouping in the neutral zone, the Canadiens were on a 3-on-2 where Jake Evans found Emil Heineman inside the right-wing circle for a one-timer past Swayman’s glove at 2:28 of the third period. 5-2 game.

Nick Suzuki sent a pass to Caufield inside the left-wing circle for a wrist shot past Swayman’s glove shoulder at 6:38 of the third period. 5-3 game.

Koepke scored an empty-net goal at 17:46 of the third period. Final score: 6-3 Bruins.

Game notes

• For those who didn’t get a chance to tune in, the Bruins’ pregame ceremony brought together the team’s past and present and “passed” the puck to the future and then next century of Bruins’ hockey. Some of the legends and Bruins greats included Bobby Orr, Phil Esposito, Johnny Bucyk, Ray Bourque, Willie O’Ree, Terry O’Reilly and Patrice Bergeron.
• Brad Marchand said postgame the significance of the weekend really hit him during the unveiling of the statue, seeing all the players he idolized and still gets nervous around. He said in the moment, a lot of games become a blur and it’s hard to remember certain ones, but the Centennial celebration and being a part of it is something he won’t forget.
• While the power play still needs work, at least the Bruins ended a 13-game, home streak where they couldn’t score in the third period. Other than today, the last time the Bruins scored a third-period goal was the home opener on Oct. 10 against the Canadiens. Similarly, the Canadiens scored two goals then, and today, in the third to close the gap.
• Sacco postgame soundbite on the current Bruins roster getting to see and interact with the greats: “I think they’re looking at some of these guys, they know the names and now they can put faces to the names. But to look over the course of the years of the tradition of this franchise and the history of it, it’s important to know your craft as a player. It was a good lesson for our guys tonight.”
• After some offensive breakthroughs, then lows of shutouts to low production and finishes, the Bruins were able to get some much needed offense going. Are the Canadiens a good measure of where the team’s offense stands? Of course not, but any offense is a step in the right directions, especially when one of your defensemen has a big night and it ends a drought for one of your top six forwards. Pastrnak registered his first goal in seven games. It was a great play after setting up his linemate.
• Interim head coach Joe Sacco applauded McAvoy’s efforts today. He like the way he kept his feet moving and kept plays and the puck in front of him. “Nobody was behind him,” Sacco said.
• The Bruins are back in action on Tuesday at the TD Garden when they take on the Detroit Red Wings at 7 p.m.

Enjoy some clips from the Bruins legends in attendance today!