The Charlies Lead the Bruins to Victory Over Montreal

BOSTON - It had been 641 long days since the Bruins squared off with their storied rivals from Montreal. But despite the lengthy hiatus, you can believe there was still an elevated level of intensity when the longtime foes squared off on Sunday night at TD Garden.
"It's not one of 82 when it's Montreal," said coach Bruce Cassidy. "It isn't to me, anyway, and it shouldn't be to anybody who knows anything about the Boston Bruins."
The Black & Gold made that clear with a decisive, four-goal third period to secure their second consecutive 5-2 victory and cap off a perfect weekend ahead of a six-day break in the schedule.

Charlie see Charlie do was the motto on Causeway Street with Charlie McAvoy and Charlie Coyle lifting the Bruins past the Habs with two goals apiece.
With Montreal scoring first midway through the first period, McAvoy finally pulled the Bruins even and had the answer with a hard charge to the net to deposit a Taylor Hall rebound at 8:20 of the second period to tie it up, 1-1. His second goal of the night came on the power play and was a pinpoint wrister from the top of the slot through multiple Habs defenders at 2:14 of the third period to once again knot things up, this time at 2-2.
With taking more shots being a team initiative, McAvoy locked into that mindset and came up clutch for the Bruins.
"I think one of our mindsets today was just as a group to shoot more, to just get pucks on net," McAvoy said following his first career two-goal game, which capped a five-point weekend for the blue liner. "See what happens, just shoot. Shoot everything. More so than an individual, 'Hey, shoot the puck,' it was more of the group collectively, 'Hey lets get pucks in the net.' I think that was our mindset today."

Coyle, meanwhile, was happy to be able to contribute in a big way of his own in such an important matchup.
"To be a part of it, that's even better. So those games aren't too hard to get up for," said Coyle, after noting how he grew up watching the Bruins-Canadiens rivalry as a fan in Weymouth. "And just the intensity, the atmosphere of it, it's pretty special to be a part of. But of course, it's much better to come out on the winning side of it."
Coyle's first goal followed McAvoy's shortly thereafter in the third period. He was right place at the right time as David Pastrnak rebound clanked around in front of the net leading to Montreal blue liner Jeff Petry's clearing attempt deflecting off of Coyle's helmet and into the back of the net to give the Bruins a 3-2 lead at 5:38 of the final frame.
Coyle credits the Bruins simple style of play for the successful night.
"We say it all the time, it's just simple, simple hockey. And we play the right way when we do that. It usually pays off for us," said Coyle.
Coyle's second goal came just about five minutes later off a puck sent up the boards from Oskar Steen and Jake DeBrusk that he was able to rope over the shoulder of Montreal goaltender Sam Montembeault.

Wait, There's More

Taylor Hall celebrated his 30th birthday with a two-point night and tied McAvoy with a game-high seven shots on goal. The winger took advtavage of the empty net and scored his fourth goal of the season off a feed from Pastrnak with just under two minutes to go in the third period.

Jeremy Swayman earned his fifth win in seven starts this season and improved his career record at TD Garden to 8-0-0.
"It's special," Swayman said of his first taste of the Bruins-Canadiens rivalry. "You don't really understand it until you're on the ice playing it. Our leadership group made a point of it that this is an Original Six matchup. They don't come in here and bully us. That was a fun game to be a part of. Definitely one I'll remember for a long time and obviously happy to get the win."