In a stunning pre-holiday upset, the Montreal Canadiens marched into the TD Garden and decisively ended a long-standing curse, routing the dominant Boston Bruins 6-2 on Tuesday night. The victory marked Montreal's first win in Boston's home arena since 2019, snapping a painful nine-game losing streak at the venue and sending the team into the Christmas break on a massive high.
A Third Period Onslaught Seals Historic Win
The game was far from a straightforward affair early on. Despite Sammy Blais opening the scoring with his first goal as a Canadien, the Bruins responded strongly. Goals from Marat Khusnutdinov and Alex Steeves gave Boston a 2-1 lead after the first period. The Canadiens settled defensively in the second, and the game was tied by a magnificent individual effort from Ivan Demidov, who stole the puck from Nikita Zadorov and finished on a breakaway.
Then came the third-period explosion that will be remembered for some time. Montreal scored four goals in a blistering span of just 5 minutes and 18 seconds to turn the game into a rout. Zachary Bolduc started the avalanche by potting a rebound from Nick Suzuki. A failed Bruins challenge for goalie interference handed Montreal a power play, which they exploited ruthlessly.
Capitalizing on back-to-back five-on-three advantages, Cole Caufield and Nick Suzuki (who batted a puck out of mid-air) scored to build a commanding 5-2 lead. Juraj Slafkovsky put the final exclamation point on the win with a powerful one-timer, making it 6-2. The Slovak forward also engaged in a late skirmish with Zadorov, adding spice to their next meeting in January.
Lane Hutson's Record-Breaking Form Powers the Victory
The offensive engine for the Canadiens was once again the phenomenal young defenseman, Lane Hutson. The reigning Calder Trophy winner recorded three assists, continuing a historic hot streak. Hutson now has an incredible 13 assists in his last eight games. According to Hockey Stat Cards, he posted a dominant game score of 6.36.
Remarkably, no defenseman in the entire NHL has tallied more assists in the calendar year 2025 than the 20-year-old Hutson, a list that includes superstars like Cale Makar. He was ably supported on the blue line by Noah Dobson, who also chipped in with three assists, giving Montreal's defense corps a total of six points for the night.
Physicality and Goaltending Complete the Statement
The game was not just about scoring. It featured a heavy dose of physical play, with 68 total penalty minutes handed out. The tone was set immediately when Josh Anderson and Tanner Jeannot fought right off the opening faceoff. Zadorov and Arber Xhekaj continued the trend with another bout eight minutes later.
In the Canadiens' net, goaltender Jacob Fowler was solid, making 26 saves to secure the important victory. His performance allowed the team to weather Boston's early push and provided the foundation for the third-period goal explosion.
This statement win allows the Montreal Canadiens to enter the holiday break with momentum and confidence, having finally conquered their Boston demons in emphatic fashion. The rematch in January is now highly anticipated.
