Boston, MA (Sports Network) - Mike Cammalleri notched the only goal in the
shootout as the Montreal Canadiens downed the punchless Boston Bruins, 2-1, at
TD Garden.
Cammalleri closed the first round with a blistering shot from the slot, then
both Patrice Bergeron for Boston and Scott Gomez for Montreal missed their
chances. Mark Recchi could have prolonged the game, but his backhand bid was
turned aside at the top of the crease to end the contest.
Glen Metropolit scored for the Canadiens, who have won two of three and
moved to 7-0 beyond regulation this season. Carey Price was strong for the
win, making 42 saves.
"We kind of expected that from them. It was a tight-checking game," noted Habs
head coach Jacques Martin of the Bruins' effort. "We know that theyre a good
team and thats how they play. I thought it was a hard-fought battle."
Bergeron scored for the Bruins, who have dropped four of five but managed to
register a goal for the first time in three tilts. Boston had endured back-to-
back shutouts to the Rangers and Red Wings on Sunday and Tuesday.
"Stay positive. I know sometimes it's hard to do and easy to say," Bergeron
said of his club's attitude during the recent stretch. "We have to make sure
its in here. Everyone has to step up."
Tim Thomas took the loss despite stopping 25-of-26 shots in the 700th all-time
meeting between the clubs, a rivalry which goes back to the 1920's.
The Habs went up 1-0 with 2:28 left in the first after Andrei Kostitsyn
circled the Boston net and centered a pass for Metropolit's easy tap-in at the
crease.
Boston appeared to have finally cracked the scoreboard with 2:25 left in the
second, as a loose puck to the right of Price was somehow poked through a pair
of bodies by Bergeron and into the net.
A review, though, determined the right post was lifted off its mooring and
that the puck crossed the goal line to the outside of the pipe. The Bruins
failed to produce another quality scoring chance for the remainder of the
period.
"It was poked toward the net and I covered it up and guys went to the net and
I had my glove on it and it got speared out from underneath," Price said. "I
had my foot on the post and it got poked to the short side and it went in the
net and I was pretty confused on how that could have went in the net so
logically, the only reason would have been to go under the net and that was
the case."
Thomas went to the bench for an extra skater with 1:13 to play and Price slid
across to the left post to stop Bergeron from in close inside one minute to
play.
Bergeron stayed in that same spot from the ensuing faceoff and it paid off as
he knocked in the rebound of Zdeno Chara's shot to tie the game with 52
seconds remaining.
The goal snapped a scoreless streak of 192 minutes, six seconds dating back to
Saturday's 2-0 win over Edmonton.
"During the course of a season you go through tough times and we are going
through tough times right now," said Bruins head coach Claude Julien. "It's
our job to get ourselves out of it."