By Canadian Press

Bergeron’s late goal lifts Bruins over Canadiens 4-2

Jan 24, 2023 | 7:58 PM

MONTREAL — Patrice Bergeron’s goal at 17:05 of the third period snapped a 2-2 tie and lifted the Boston Bruins to a hard-fought 4-2 victory over the Montreal Canadiens on Tuesday night.

Taylor Hall and David Krejci also scored for Boston (38-5-4) in the first game between the storied rivals since April 24, 2022. David Pastrnak scored an empty-netter in the final minute and collected three assists.

Jeremy Swayman made 19 saves for the Bruins’ sixth straight win.

Kirby Dach had a two-goal night for Montreal (20-25-3) who failed to win back-to-back rivalry games after defeating the Toronto Maple Leafs 3-2 on Saturday.

Samuel Montembeault made 25 saves and allowed three goals.

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Montembeault continued on his impressive run in an eighth straight game defending Montreal’s net. After a scoreless opening frame, the netminder robbed Pastrnak on a power-play one-timer to keep the game scoreless.

The Canadiens opened the scoring on the power play at 9:11 of the second period. Dach hopped on a shot that deflected in front of the net and beat Swayman with a wrister.

Boston scored on a power-play goal of their own at 14:12. Montembeault saved a shot deflected off of David Savard but Hall pounced on the rebound to tie the game 1-1.

The Bruins took their first lead of the game midway through the final frame when Kreijci deflected Pavel Zacha’s shot from the point.

Montreal battled back to tie the game at 11:31 of the third. Swayman seemed to have saved Justin Barron’s shot from the point but Alex Belzile freed the puck loose and Dach bagged a career-high 10th goal of the season.

Bergeron gave Boston the win with 2:55 remaining in the game. Following a faceoff in the offensive zone, the Bruins captain hopped on a loose puck in the slot and beat Montembeault with a wrist shot.

Pastrnak sealed Boston’s 38th win of the season with an empty-netter.

HABS EUROPE GAME?

In a visit to the Bell Centre, NHL commissioner Gary Bettman expressed interest in the Montreal Canadiens playing a game in Europe.

“There’s a real appetite to take the Montreal Canadiens abroad,” Bettman said. “But it’s got to be the right circumstances, the right market and the cost element is something we have to deal with but it’s something that I believe is on the horizon.

“I’d very much like to take the Canadiens to Europe.”

Bettman added that Canadiens owner Goeff Molson is co-chairman of the league’s international committee.

The NHL’s 2022 Global Series saw games played in Germany, Finland, Switzerland and Czechia at the start of the 2022-23 season.

UP NEXT

The Canadiens will cap off a five-game home stand on Thursday against the Detroit Red Wings.

The Bruins continue their road trip with a visit to the Tampa Bay Lightning on Thursday.

This report by The Canadian Press was first published Jan. 24, 2023.

Tristan D’Amours, The Canadian Press