The Bruins survive the late rally in Montreal and win 6-4

That was better now.

The Montreal Canadiens may have represented a significant drop in quality as an opponent for the Bruins at the Garden on Thursday, but the B's play was much more like what the team envisioned when they put this team together in the offseason with a 6-4 win in the Home opener. It wasn't perfection – far from it – but it was a step in the right direction, especially on offense.

To remove the aftertaste of a very bad loss to the Florida Panthers in the season opener, the B's made contributions across the lineup and gave Jeremy Swayman plenty of run support in his first game of the season to pick up their first win of the season. They scored three goals in the fourth line, two from Mark Kastelic. The B's outscored Montreal's defensemen in the offensive zone, winning battles all over the ice and playing faster than they did on Tuesday. It all paid off.

“I think we can see what kind of team we can be,” coach Jim Montgomery said. “We need to become a better control team and understand game management a little better. I didn't think the game management in the third game was exemplary. But it's hard to win in this league. We got our first win and we’ll just keep building.”

Two late goals from Montreal in the third period that briefly cut the three-goal lead to one caused more consternation than was necessary. After the B's dominated much of the first two periods, the Habs outscored them 14-6 in the third period, making it a challenge for Swayman, who had only seen 11 shots in the first two periods. But Kastelic's second play tied the game, just 17 seconds after Brendan Gallagher's second play cut the B's lead to 5-4.

“I’m not happy,” said Swayman, who signed his eight-year, $66 million contract last Sunday. “The guys in front of me did an incredible job. I have a lot to do and I’m excited to get to work.”

It was a contentious contract dispute, but Swayman – the first player to be introduced based on his number – received a warm reception from Garden fans.

“It was quite an emotional, warm welcome,” Swayman said. “It just shows what kind of fan base we have here because we know they care about more than just a player, but a person.” It got pretty emotional when I finally got on the ice and heard that roar again. Just an incredible amount of gratitude. I’m so grateful to be a part of this city, a part of this team, and it’s moments like this that make it all worthwhile.”

The B's went into the first break 3-2 after an entertaining first 20 minutes.

Not that it was difficult, but the B's started much better than they did in Florida. They earned the first power play of the first shift and it appeared Hampus Lindholm gave them the lead with a long-range shot, but Montreal coach Martin St. Louis denied that Justin Brazeau interfered with goalkeeper Cayden Primeau. The challenge was granted and the goal fell off the board.

It was the Habs who took their first lead of the game on their own power play. Just seconds after Brad Marchand equalized Alex Newhook, Gallagher took a pass from Joel Armia into the goal at 8:26.

But the B response quickly responded with its own PP target. Charlie McAvoy, more shooting than usual (he shot six pucks in the first game), beat Primeau with a long-range wrist shot.

However, in the middle of this goal announcement, the Habs regained the lead when Kaiden Guhle directed a diagonal pass from the right point to an open Cole Caufield, who had enough time to initially miss the puck before pulling it away from the side of the net and tucking into the open net behind Swayman.

But the rest of the time it was the B's. They would maintain a 13-6 lead and take the lead into the locker room thanks to goals from two new Bruins. First, Kastelic came off the boards with an excellent, crunching fourth line change envisioned over the summer, beating Primeau with a high-wrist throw at 13:24.

Then two more new Bruins combined to give the B's their first lead of the season when Elias Lindholm (1-2-3) redirected a pass from Nikita Zadorov (two assists) through Primeau from the high slot at 18:23 .

The B's didn't give up much to the Habs early in the second period – Montreal went 15:33 without a shot, starting with 7:01 left in the first – but it felt like they were letting the Canadiens hang around. Until the B's scored two goals in 55 seconds late in the second half.

The first goal came at 3:56 p.m. after a nice move from the first line. David Pastrnak threw the puck in and Elias Lindholm and Pavel Zacha came to Arber Xhekaj to get the puck back. Zacha took the ball behind the net, then reversed course and left David Savard in the dust before delivering a pass for a one-time shot from Pastrnak from the slot for a 4-2 lead.

Then the B's scored another goal in the fourth. Johnny Beecher used his great shot to get to the net and tried to push it in on the short side. Primeau made the first stop but couldn't control the rebound. Cole Koepke continued the play and pushed it through his Primeau's pads, taking a 5-2 lead into the third period.

But the Habs didn't give up. Josh Anderson scored on a deflection of a Guhle shot at 9:05 of the third period, and with 4:17 left in regulation, Gallagher scored his second goal of the game while all alone at the bottom of the circle.

But 17 seconds later, Kastelic scored his second goal of the game when he deflected the puck in front of Primeau. Not a bad Garden debut for the former senator.

“It just feels good to contribute to the team's success and getting on the scoresheet is always a good feeling and it was really fun playing with my Lineys tonight,” Kastelic said. “I think we're starting to develop our games together and getting more comfortable with each other, and it's starting to pay off.”

Now that the B's have the offense the way they hoped, the next step is to defend the way everyone expects them to. Then maybe they have something.

Originally published: October 10, 2024 at 9:54 p.m