Recap: Bruins top Canadiens, 5-2, on strong offensive game

Frederic pots two in the win.

Trent Frederic’s two goal night and two goals from the power play led the Boston Bruins to a 5-2 win over the Montreal Canadiens tonight at the TD Garden.

Jeremy Swayman made 20 saves in the win as the Bruins double up on shots over the Canadiens, 44 to 22.

Here are the highlights!

First period:

The Bruins opened the scoring at 7:11 of the first period on the power play.

On a 5-on-3, after receiving a pass from Charlie McAvoy, Brad Marchand sent a quick pass back to McAvoy for a one-timer from the top of the right-wing circle which traveled top-shelf, over Jake Allen’s blocker. 1-0 Bruins.

The Bruins took a two-goal lead at 19:20 of the first period.

Brandon Carlo threw a shot on net from the point which Trent Frederic got a piece of and tipped past Allen. 2-0 Bruins.

Second period:

The Bruins extended their lead at 5:16 of the second period.

Hampus Lindholm dished Pavel Zacha the puck up high in the offensive zone where he put a one-timer past Allen’s stick. 3-0 Bruins.

The Canadiens got one back at 13:04 of the second period.

Nick Suzuki found Juraj Slafkovsky low inside the left-wing circle where he snuck a quick wrist shot past Jeremy Swayman and the near post. 3-1 game.

The Bruins cushioned their lead at 15:30 of the second period with Frederic’s second goal of the night.

Fresh out of the penalty box, Charlie Coyle forwarded a pass to Frederic who carried the puck into the offensive zone and let a wrist shot off from the inside the left face-off circle and past Allen. 4-1 Bruins.

Third period:

The Bruins took a four-goal lead at 5:39 of the third period on the power play.

At the doorstep, Marchand quickly got the puck to James van Riemsdyk at the top of the paint where he lifted a backhander past Allen stick side. 5-1 Bruins.

The Canadiens scored at 15:29 of the third period.

Johnathan Kovacevic picked up his second effort out front and got one past Swayman to make it a 5-2 game.

Final score: 5-2 Bruins.

Game notes:

• The Bruins brought their offensive game for a full 60 minutes tonight. Despite being off for the last couple of days, the B’s weren’t sluggish in the first and set the game’s tone early on, keeping things a fast pace. Early on, the team established a net front presence. The game easily could have been a 10-2 game with the amount of chances the B’s had generated by throwing pucks on net with quality shots.
• That offensive game can be see in 10 different players registering at least one point. Four of them had multi-point nights. David Pastrnak registered three assists. Marchand picked up his 500th career assist and more in the win. On defense, three picked up a point.
• The defense was also actively involved in plays with the added time in the offensive zone. They were engaged on the blue line the whole game. There was one play that stuck out where the Bruins kept o-zone pressure led but some fancy stickwork by Mason Lohrei which then led to a scoring opportunity by Danton Heinen out front. There were little things like that were they were moving the puck or looking for open space in the offensive zone instead of setting up a bounce pass off the end boards to find someone out front.
• They may not have put up any points tonight, but the chemistry between Jake DeBrusk and Matt Poitras was on point. The two carried plays and made plays around each other. While they just didn’t have the finish, it seems like it’s a matter of time before one of them sees the fruits of their efforts.
• The Bruins went 2 for 5 on the power play and capitalized on a 5-on-3 advantage. JVR has really shown how he’s become an integral asset to the power play. His plays are subtle, but his positioning has led to scoring opportunities like the Bruins’ second power-play goal.
• Trent Frederic had his first multi-point game of the season. Jim Montgomery said he felt it was Frederic’s best game this season. He said he knew he was going to have a good game when he kept moving his feet and was taking wide passes early on. Frederic’s first goal was a deflection while his second was hustle after Coyle found him getting out of the penalty box.
• The Bruins will hit the road and face the Tampa Bay Lightning on Monday, Nov. 20 at 7 p.m.

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