Montreal Canadiens fall 5-2 to Boston Bruins

Boston Bruins' Anton Blidh (81) battles Montreal Canadiens' Adam Brooks during the first period of an NHL hockey game Sunday, Nov. 14, 2021, in Boston. (AP Photo/Winslow Townson)

Montreal — Charlie Coyle had an attempted clearing pass carom into the net off his head for his first of two goals, Charlie McAvoy also scored twice, and the Boston Bruins beat the Montreal Canadiens 5-2 in the 750th meeting between the longtime rivals on Sunday night.

It was the first time they faced each other in nearly two years -- 641 days to be exact -- because of altered divisions and scheduling changes by the NHL last season due to the coronavirus pandemic.

Jeremy Swayman stopped 27 shots for Boston, improving his career record to 8-0-0 at TD Garden. Taylor Hall added an empty-netter as the Bruins improved to 6-1 at home.

Joel Armia and Michael Pezzetta had the Canadiens' goals, and Sam Montembeault made 36 saves. Montreal fell to 1-6-1 on the road.

Canadiens defenseman Jeff Petry, positioned in front of the crease, attempted to clear the puck into the corner, but it hit Coyle before bouncing into the net 5:58 into the third period after McAvoy tied it just over three minutes earlier.

Coyle added an insurance goal at 9:05, sending the fans into a loud, mocking chant of `Ole Ole Ole' -- a staple when the Canadiens are playing well at home.

Pezzetta scored his first of the season, beating Swayman with a shot that caromed into the net off the skate of Boston defenseman Connor Clifton, making it 2-1 late in the second period.

But McAvoy slipped a wrister in from the slot for a power-play goal, tying it 2:14 into the third.

Both teams came out a bit sluggish Sunday, probably because they each had to travel to Boston after playing on Saturday, before Armia made it 1-0 by beating Swayman with a wrister from the right circle at the end of a 3-on-1 break 8:09 into the first.

Coming into the game with a 0-2-1 record with a 3.69 goals-against-average and only an .885 save percentage, Montembeault held Boston off the board until McAvoy charged in to score on a rebound 8:27 into the second.

WHAT HAPPENED THEN

In the last meeting, on Feb. 12, 2020, David Pastrnak recorded a hat trick in a 4-1 Bruins' victory.

NOTES: Montreal recalled G Cayden Primeau from the AHL after top goalie Jake Allen was injured in a collision with Detroit's Dylan Larkin on Saturday night. ... Boston F Craig Smith, who has yet to register a point this season, was a healthy scratch for the second straight game. He was expected to be a big part of the team's second line. ... The Canadiens entered with the league's 29th ranked penalty-killing unit but held Boston scoreless on two full and a partial power play in the opening period.

UP NEXT

Canadiens: At the New York Rangers on Tuesday night.

Bruins: At Philadelphia on Saturday night.

-- This article by The Associated Press was first published on Nov. 14, 2021