BOS@MTL: Team Red falls to Boston

MONTREAL - Emotions tend to run high whenever the Habs welcome the Bruins to the Bell Centre - especially on a Saturday night - but the air hung a little heavier, perhaps, this time around with the passing of longtime Canadiens beat writer Red Fisher the day before.

"I was one of the fortunate coaches that had an opportunity to talk to him one-on-one. We all know with him, you had to pay your dues," head coach Claude Julien fondly remembered prior to the start of the game. "For some reason, I was able to have some good conversations with him. That's one of the things I remember the most."

After a pregame moment of silence in Fisher's memory, the archrival Bruins and Canadiens resumed their hostilities for the third time in just eight days. Just as in the previous two occasions, it was Montreal who struck first, with Max Pacioretty netting his seventh goal in his last seven games.
The captain had accepted a seamless feed through the slot from his centerman for the night, Paul Byron, which he converted into his 15th marker of the season, and showered the versatile forward with praise for the work he's done filling in up the middle.

"Paul was definitely flying tonight. A couple of times, you saw Hudy [Charles Hudon] hop in for some draws. Those two combined, whoever is back first takes a lot of responsibility. Oftentimes, Paul is back first because he's so fast," Pacioretty said of Byron, who extended his points streak to four games with his assist on the tally. "They're both playing great. It would be tough for anyone to jump in that position and do well, but [Paul] is doing really, really well."
Montreal's lead would not last long, however, as David Pastrnak tricked Carey Price with a sharp-angle shot from the corner that found its way in, evening the score and helping shift the momentum somewhat towards the visitors.
"I thought we played pretty well tonight, given our circumstances. It would've been nice if I had made that one save, which changed the momentum of the game a little bit," explained Price. "It's pretty disappointing.
"I just looked backdoor. As soon as I looked back, he fired it on net. I didn't get a chance to react."

The Bruins' first goal may have been a bit of a fortuitous bounce, but it also may have been the perfect spark for one of the hottest lines in the League right now, a trio comprised of Pastrnak, Brad Marchand and Patrice Bergeron that were kindling waiting for their match to strike.
"We got the crowd into it with a goal and felt like we had some momentum there, and they got a lucky one, Pastrnak in the corner. I don't know that they completely gained momentum, but they were able to generate a little bit more," added Pacioretty, who led all skaters with five hits in the first period. "That's how it goes; all it takes is a lucky bounce for a top-line, offensive guy to feel good about his game. Then, every time you go out there, you feel like you're Superman."

From his vantage point on the blue line, Karl Alzner noted that the Bruins' high-flying top line was not just solid at generating scoring chances, but offered up a complete package that also helped stifle the Canadiens' ability to create chances of their own.
"I think that line is probably the best all-around line at both ends of the ice. High-end skill, but also very defensively responsible. It's not just in their defensive zone, but from the top of our circles to the red line," described the 29-year-old rearguard, who logged 20:06 of ice time against the Bruins and finished with an even differential. "They pressure hard, and they make it tough for you to really generate anything. I'll have to really think about it, but they're probably one of the best - if not the best - all-around lines [in the League]."

Still, although they were outshot 31-25 and were outscored 4-1 by game's end - with Boston's original third goal from Bergeron called back following a coach's challenge - the Canadiens outhit the Bruins 43-32 and kept it close until Torey Krug padded the visitors' lead late in the middle frame.
Commendable, some might say, given that the Bruins' last regulation loss came back on December 14. The Habs' densely packed schedule of late - they played in Washington less than 24 hours before facing Boston at home in what was their fifth game in eight nights - wasn't much help, either, but the Canadiens aren't interested in excuses or the easy way out.
"Divisional games are very, very important, but every game is important right now," outlined Pacioretty. "We knew we [were] playing often in that little stretch of the schedule. We're going to have a couple more games before we get to shut it down for a couple of days, so we really have to empty the tank and find a way to pick up some points before this break."
If the Canadiens are to climb back into the hunt for a playoff spot, finding a way to earn those much-needed points is important indeed. Important, with gusts up to crucial, to borrow from Fisher.