The rivalry between the Boston Bruins and the Montreal Canadiens simply is not what it used to be. With the Habs' organization headed in the right direction by adding key players and making appropriate adjustments at opportune times, it looks like fans will be treated to continued success in winning ways. Unfortunately for the Bruins, organizational shortcomings and questionable trades have created a team that is void of any real competitive strengths, and it was evident on Saturday night as the Habs dominated them in a 4-2 road win.
Sadly, even the TD Garden crowd in Boston booed the team off of the ice. Once considered a powerhouse and consistent Stanley Cup contender, the Bruins no longer command the respect that they imposed on others. Instead, they now play with a lack of emotion and any real intent, and it came as no surprise then that Carey Price did not need to be spectacular to secure a win for his team.
The Habs' powerplay looked terrible after David Desharnais netted his first of the season on a great hustle in front of the net. Going 1-for-6, even during an extended game misconduct and 5-on-3 opportunity goes to show that there is still a ton of work to be done on the powerplay, despite the coaching adjustment made over the course of the summer.
However, a confident team effort by all of the players ensured that the visitors came away with a second win in just as many games, thanks especially to the efforts of Alex Galchenyuk and Lars Eller. I've stated numerous times that Eller deserves to play in a top-six role, and his hockey sense and renewed confidence shone through in his perfect positioning on both of his goals. It must be noted that Alexander Semin is starting to find his groove (he had two assist on the night), and made an unselfish play in passing the puck to Eller when he could've fired a rocket high on Tuuka Rask in the slot. Of course, what is there to say about Alex Galchenyuk's 3-point night? The 21-year-old is flying on the ice, relishing the opportunities presented to him and looking every bit like the first-round, third overall 2012 NHL entry draft pick.
On the negative side, Dale Weise missed a chance to bury an easy goal on a precise pass by Desharnais for the second game in a row. I'd be curious to see what Devante Smith-Pelly (who played a solid game along with his line mates) could do on a line with Fleischmann and Desharnais. He certainly deserves a promotion, given the efforts he's put in over the two games played so far.
As for the defensemen, Habs fans should rejoice in knowing that in front of Carey Price lies a reliable and trustworthy corps. Besides a dirty hit by Alexei Emelin on Patrice Bergeron, not a single player on the backend looked out of place.
On the plus side, Montreal takes on the Ottawa Senators on Sunday, the team with whom I believe they currently have the strongest rivalry. Backup goaltender Mike Condon has been slated to start the game between the pipes, and it would be very beneficial for the team to take the first encounter against the Sens. The Senators have proven that they can beat the Habs and solve Price, although the former have yet to prove that they can outclass Erik Karlsson and the rest of his team on a regular basis. Taking advantage of Craig Anderson's subpar rebound control should be on the agenda, and goalies with his size are often beat on low shots.
A Maple Leafs team in transition and a Boston Bruins team that is in full rebuild mode don't determine a season, but facing off against a well-balanced and momentum-riding team such as Ottawa's should prove to be an interesting challenge.
Let's see how the Bleu Blanc et Rouge fare against one of the only teams to give them a hard time over the past few years.