NHL: Bruins, Canadiens stumble into finale of season series

The Boston Bruins and Montreal Canadiens rarely need extra motivation when they meet, but Tuesday’s matchup in Montreal carries added urgency as both teams battle for playoff positioning in the Eastern Conference.

Boston, currently holding the second wild-card spot, trails Montreal by just one point for third place in the Atlantic Division. The tight race has added intensity to an already historic Original Six rivalry.

“It’s a big game. Fun,” Bruins forward David Pastrnak said. “Finally, Montreal and Boston fighting for their lives in the playoffs, so it should be a good one.”

Both teams enter the contest looking to rebound after recent setbacks. The Bruins are playing the second half of a back-to-back after a 4-3 overtime loss to the New Jersey Devils on Monday in Newark.

Boston jumped out to a 2-0 lead but failed to maintain momentum, something head coach Marco Sturm pointed to as a key issue.

“It’s frustrating because we played such a good first period,” Sturm said. “The way we came out in the second, that’s night and day. If you play like that, that’s what you get.”

The Bruins have struggled on the road, going 1-3-5 in their past nine away games. However, defenseman Charlie McAvoy has been a bright spot, recording a point in eight consecutive road contests.

Pastrnak continues to lead the offensive charge, extending his point streak to six games with a two-goal performance against New Jersey. He also reached the 25-goal mark for the fifth straight season. His recent success has come alongside linemates Marat Khusnutdinov and Fraser Minten, as Sturm reunited the trio in hopes of sparking consistency.

On the other side, Montreal is seeking a bounce-back performance after its four-game points streak (3-0-1) was snapped by consecutive home losses to the San Jose Sharks and Anaheim Ducks.

The Canadiens nearly forced overtime in Sunday’s game against Anaheim after rallying from a 2-0 deficit with three unanswered goals. However, a late goal sealed a 4-3 loss, leaving head coach Martin St. Louis frustrated with his team’s late-game execution.

“I felt we were too aggressive and lacked a bit of execution,” St. Louis said. “We gave up good chances late in the game that we didn’t have to.”

Montreal also faces injury concerns after forward Kirby Dach left the game with an upper-body injury following a hit from Anaheim’s Jeffrey Viel. His status for Tuesday remains uncertain, though general manager Kent Hughes indicated the injury is not expected to be long-term.

Despite the setback, Montreal remains focused on the bigger picture.

“That’s what the league is right now — a lot of desperation from pretty much every team,” Canadiens forward Brendan Gallagher said. “It just comes down to execution. A couple of plays here and there. We have to raise our level right now.”

Forward Nick Suzuki continues to lead Montreal’s offense, recording a goal and an assist against Anaheim. He now has points in three straight games and in seven of his past eight. Alex Newhook and Cole Caufield also scored in the loss.

Boston holds a 2-1-0 edge in the season series heading into Tuesday’s finale, setting the stage for another high-stakes chapter in one of hockey’s most storied rivalries. -Field Level Media/Reuters