Bruins–Canadiens rivalry
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The Bruins–Canadiens rivalry is a
National Hockey League The National Hockey League (NHL; french: Ligue nationale de hockey—LNH, ) is a professional ice hockey league in North America comprising 32 teams—25 in the United States and 7 in Canada. It is considered to be the top ranked professional ...
(NHL)
rivalry A rivalry is the state of two people or groups engaging in a lasting competitive relationship. Rivalry is the "against each other" spirit between two competing sides. The relationship itself may also be called "a rivalry", and each participant o ...
between the
Boston Bruins The Boston Bruins are a professional ice hockey team based in Boston. The Bruins compete in the National Hockey League (NHL) as a member of the Atlantic Division in the Eastern Conference. The team has been in existence since 1924, making t ...
and
Montreal Canadiens The Montreal CanadiensEven in English, the French spelling is always used instead of ''Canadians''. The French spelling of ''Montréal'' is also sometimes used in the English media. (french: link=no, Les Canadiens de Montréal), officially ...
. It is considered "one of the greatest rivalries in sports." Retired Bruins forward Bob Sweeney, who played for the Bruins between 1986–87 and 1991–92, once called it among the "top three rivalries in all of sports,... right up there with the... New York Yankees–Boston Red Sox." The two teams have played each other more times, in both regular season play and the
Stanley Cup playoffs The Stanley Cup playoffs (french: Les séries éliminatoires de la Coupe Stanley) is an elimination tournament in the National Hockey League (NHL) consisting of four rounds of best-of-seven series to determine the league champion and the winner ...
combined, than any other two teams in NHL history. Through the conclusion of the 2020–21 season, the two teams have played each other a total of 927 times, with the Canadiens winning 469 games, the Bruins winning 348, and 103 ties. Eleven games between the two teams have ended in shootouts. In the playoffs, the two teams have met in 34 series for a total of 177 games, the most in NHL history. The two teams also have faced each other nine times in Game 7s, more than any other pair of opponents in NHL history.


Origins

The first-ever professional ice hockey team in the United States to play in the
National Hockey League The National Hockey League (NHL; french: Ligue nationale de hockey—LNH, ) is a professional ice hockey league in North America comprising 32 teams—25 in the United States and 7 in Canada. It is considered to be the top ranked professional ...
, the Boston Bruins, started play on Monday, December 1, 1924, as one of two NHL "expansion teams" in its 1924–25 season, along with the
Montreal Maroons The Montreal Maroons (officially the Montreal Professional Hockey Club) were a professional ice hockey team in the National Hockey League (NHL). They played in the NHL from 1924 to 1938, winning the Stanley Cup in 1926 and 1935. They were the la ...
– these two teams faced each other in the Bruins' inaugural NHL regular season game at their
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indoor hockey rink that night, with the Bruins winning by a 2–1 score on home ice, with a Canadian skater for the Bruins,
Smokey Harris Thomas Wilfred "Smokey, Fred" Harris (October 11, 1890 – June 4, 1974) was a Canadian professional ice hockey player. Harris played in the Pacific Coast Hockey Association (PCHA), the National Hockey League (NHL) and the Western Canada Hockey L ...
scoring the first-ever Bruins goal. However, only one week later, on December 8, the other Montreal hockey team, the veteran Canadiens were the opponents for the hometown Bruins, with the Canadiens coming from behind to defeat Boston in a 4–3 win. For their first fourteen seasons, Boston did not have a particularly notable rivalry with either Montreal team - the Canadiens' owner had actually worked behind the scenes to admit the Maroons in the expectation they would be his team's most lucrative rival. After their second season, three more U.S. teams were added and the Bruins were placed in the newly formed American Division while the Canadiens entered the Canadian Division. The Boston-Montreal rivalry only truly began after the owners of the financially troubled Maroons, who had subsequently acquired the Canadiens, decided to contract their original franchise. The Maroons' 1938 demise left the Canadiens without a crosstown rival and left the league with only seven teams, thus compelling it to realign into a single division. Boston and Montreal have been in the same division for the vast majority of seasons since that time. The first exception came in the 1970's when the Bruins were placed in the
Adams Division The NHL's Adams Division was formed in 1974 as part of the Prince of Wales Conference. The division existed for 19 seasons until 1993. It was named in honour of Charles Francis Adams, the founder of the Boston Bruins. It is the forerunner of the ...
and the Canadiens in the
Norris Division The NHL's Norris Division was formed in 1974 as part of the Prince of Wales Conference. When the NHL realigned into geographic divisions in 1981, the division moved to the Clarence Campbell Conference, where it comprised the league's Great Lakes a ...
, however the distinction was largely academic since during this time the league played used a balanced schedule and league-wide playoff format - when the league revamped its scheduling format and playoff format to better account for geography, conferences and divisions in 1981 the Canadiens were realigned to the Bruins' Adams Division. The 2020–21 season, in which the
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forced a temporary division realignment to avoid cross-border travel, caused Montreal to be placed in an all-Canadian "North" division and Boston in a Atlantic-Metro hybrid "East" division, and resulted in the first season of play in which the Canadiens and Bruins did not face each other. Although the Canadiens–Toronto Maple Leafs rivalry is actually the oldest in the league dating back to the NHL's founding in 1917, the
Toronto Maple Leafs The Toronto Maple Leafs (officially the Toronto Maple Leaf Hockey Club and often referred to as the Leafs) are a professional ice hockey team based in Toronto. They compete in the National Hockey League (NHL) as a member of the Atlantic Div ...
were placed in the opposite conference between 1981 and 1998, limiting the number of Montreal–Toronto games per season during those years compared to that of Boston–Montreal.


Post-War through the 1950s: Canadiens dominance

On April 8, 1952, Maurice "Rocket" Richard scored one of the most famous goals of all time, described variously as "the greatest in the history of the game" and "most beautiful in the history of the world." As blood dripped down his face after an earlier injury that gave him a concussion, he scored the series-winning goal of the 1952 Stanley Cup Semifinals. Richard had left the game but returned to the bench in the third period, wearing a bandage. Richard, although somewhat dazed, jumped off the bench and drove to the net to score past a surprised
Sugar Jim Henry Samuel James "Sugar Jim" Henry (October 23, 1920 — January 21, 2004) was a Canadians, Canadian professional ice hockey player. A goaltender, Henry played in the National Hockey League (NHL) with the New York Rangers, Chicago Black Hawks and the ...
, the
Boston Bruins The Boston Bruins are a professional ice hockey team based in Boston. The Bruins compete in the National Hockey League (NHL) as a member of the Atlantic Division in the Eastern Conference. The team has been in existence since 1924, making t ...
'
goaltender In ice hockey, the goaltender (commonly referred to as the goalie) is the player responsible for preventing the hockey puck from entering their team's net, thus preventing the opposing team from scoring. The goaltender mostly plays in or near t ...
. After the goal, showing tremendous respect and sportsmanship, a photograph was taken of Henry shaking hands with the bandaged Richard. It is considered to be one of the most famous images ever to be captured in sports.


1955: Violence leads to Richard Riot

On March 13, 1955, an on-ice episode sparked one of the worst incidents of hockey-related violence in history. Maurice Richard was part of a violent confrontation in a game against the Bruins. Bruins defenceman
Hal Laycoe Harold Richardson Laycoe (June 23, 1922 — April 29, 1998) was a Canadian ice hockey defenceman and coach. He played in the National Hockey League (NHL) with the New York Rangers, Montreal Canadiens, and Boston Bruins between 1945 and 1956. Afte ...
, who had previously played for the Canadiens, high-sticked Richard in the head during a Montreal
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. Richard required five stitches to close a cut that resulted from the high-stick. Referee
Frank Udvari Frank Joseph Udvari (January 2, 1924 – August 13, 2014) was a NHL referee from 1952-53 until 1965-66. Udvari was born in Militic, Yugoslavia and raised in Guelph, Ontario. He was the presiding referee during the game which initially sparked the ...
signaled a delayed penalty, but allowed play to continue because the Canadiens had possession of the puck. When the play ended, Richard skated up to Laycoe, who had dropped his stick and
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s in anticipation of a fight, and struck him in the face and shoulders with his stick. The linesmen attempted to restrain Richard, who repeatedly broke away from them to continue his attack on Laycoe, eventually breaking a stick over his opponent's body before linesman Cliff Thompson corralled him. Richard broke loose again and punched Thompson twice in the face, knocking him unconscious. Richard then left the ice with the Canadiens' trainer. According to ''
Montreal Herald This is a list of defunct newspapers of Quebec. 1770–1799 * ''La Gazette du commerce et littéraire pour la Ville & District de Montréal'', 1778, Montréal, Fleury Mesplet, printer, and Valentin Jautard, editor and journalist * '' La Gazette ...
'' writer Vince Lunny, Richard's face looked like a "smashed tomato." Richard was given a match penalty and an automatic $100 fine, while Laycoe received a five-minute
major penalty A penalty in ice hockey is a punishment for an infringement of the rules. Most penalties are enforced by sending the offending player to a penalty box for a set number of minutes. During the penalty the player may not participate in play. Penaltie ...
and a ten-minute misconduct, which called for an automatic $25 fine, for the high stick.
Boston Police The Boston Police Department (BPD), dating back to 1854, holds the primary responsibility for law enforcement and investigation within the city of Boston, Massachusetts. It is the oldest municipal police department in the United States. The ...
attempted to arrest Richard in the dressing room after the game ended, but were turned back by Canadiens players who barred the door, preventing any arrest. Richard was never arrested for the incident, as Bruins management finally persuaded the officers to leave with a promise that the NHL would handle the issue. He was instead sent to the hospital by team doctors after complaining of headaches and stomach pains. It was Richard's second incident with an official that season. He had slapped a linesman in the face in Toronto the previous December and was fined $250. Upon hearing the referee's report, NHL President
Clarence Campbell Clarence Sutherland Campbell, (July 9, 1905 – June 24, 1984) was a Canadian ice hockey executive, referee, and soldier. He refereed in the National Hockey League (NHL) during the 1930s, served in the Canadian Army during World War II, then s ...
ordered all parties to appear at a March 16 hearing at his office in Montreal. The March 16 hearing was attended by the on-ice officials, Richard, Laycoe, Montreal Assistant General Manager
Ken Reardon Kenneth Joseph Reardon (April 1, 1921 – March 15, 2008) was a Canadian professional ice hockey defenceman who played for the Montreal Canadiens in the National Hockey League. He was inducted into the Hockey Hall of Fame in 1966. Ken is the brot ...
, Boston General Manager
Lynn Patrick Joseph Lynn Patrick (February 3, 1912 – January 26, 1980) was a Canadian professional ice hockey player and executive. As a player, Patrick played ten seasons in the National Hockey League for the New York Rangers. He was twice named to the NHL ...
, Montreal Head Coach
Dick Irvin James Dickinson "Dick" Irvin Jr. (or II) (July 19, 1892 – May 16, 1957) was a Canadian professional ice hockey player and coach. He played for professional teams in the Pacific Coast Hockey Association, the Western Canada Hockey League, and th ...
and NHL referee-in-chief
Carl Voss Carl Potter Voss (January 6, 1907 – September 13, 1993) was an American ice hockey forward in the National Hockey League. He played for several teams between 1926 and 1938. He would later become a referee, and was inducted into the Hockey Hal ...
. In his defence, Richard contended that he was dazed and thought Thompson was one of Boston's players. He did not deny punching or attacking Laycoe. After the hearing, Campbell issued a 1,200-word statement to the press and said that "Richard will be suspended from all games both league and playoff for the balance of the current season." The suspension—the longest for an on-ice incident ever issued by Campbell in his 31 years as League president—was considered by many in Montreal to be unjust and severe. No sooner had the judgment been handed out than the NHL office (then located in
Montreal Montreal ( ; officially Montréal, ) is the List of the largest municipalities in Canada by population, second-most populous city in Canada and List of towns in Quebec, most populous city in the Provinces and territories of Canada, Canadian ...
) was deluged with hundreds of calls from enraged fans, many of whom made death threats to Campbell. Campbell stood firm, however, and moreover announced that he would be attending the Canadiens' next home game against the Detroit Red Wings on March 17. Midway into the first period, Campbell arrived with his fiancée. Outraged Canadiens fans immediately began pelting them with eggs, vegetables and various debris, with more being thrown at him each time the Red Wings scored, building up a 4–1 lead on Montreal. The continuous pelting of various objects stopped when a tear gas bomb was set off inside the
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not far from where Campbell was sitting. The Forum was ordered evacuated and Campbell ruled the game forfeited to the Red Wings. That was the last straw for Canadiens fans, as a riot ensued outside the Forum, causing $500,000 in damage to the neighbourhood and the Forum itself. Hundreds of stores were looted and vandalized within a 15-block radius of the Forum. Twelve policemen and 25 civilians were injured. The riot continued well into the night, with police arresting people by the truckload. Local radio stations, which carried live coverage of the riot for over seven hours, had to be forced off the air. The riot was eventually over at 3 a.m., leaving Montreal's Rue Ste-Catherine a mess. The suspension came when Richard was leading the NHL in scoring and the Canadiens were battling the Detroit Red Wings for
first place ''First Place'' is an album by the J. J. Johnson Quartet which was released on the Columbia label.scoring title, the closest he ever came to winning it, and the Canadiens first place; on the final day of the season, the Canadiens lost to the Red Wings, 6–0. When Richard's teammate
Bernie Geoffrion Joseph Bernard André Geoffrion (; February 14, 1931 – March 11, 2006), nicknamed "Boom Boom", was a Canadian professional ice hockey player and coach. Generally considered one of the innovators of the slapshot, he was inducted into the Hockey ...
surpassed Richard in scoring on the last day of the regular season, the Canadiens' fans booed him. Laycoe was booed by Canadiens' fans when the two teams met again in the Stanley Cup Semifinals a few days afterward. A teammate,
Ed Sandford Edward Michael Sandford (born August 20, 1928) is a Canadian former professional ice hockey forward. He played most of his professional career for the Boston Bruins of the National Hockey League. Playing career Sandford played his junior hockey ...
recalled, "I drew Laycoe as my taxi teammate. When we got to the Forum, the police were waiting for us, and they escorted us into the building and to the dressing room past a bunch of angry fans. Then every time Laycoe came on the ice, the crowd booed him."


1960s and 1970s

The Bruins and Canadiens made up 16 of the possible 30
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appearances between and . The Bruins went 2–3 and Canadiens went 10–1 in Finals appearances. The two teams went head-to-head in the and
1978 Stanley Cup Finals The 1978 Stanley Cup Finals was the championship series of the National Hockey League's (NHL) 1977–78 season, and the culmination of the 1978 Stanley Cup playoffs. It was contested between the Boston Bruins and the defending champion Montreal ...
. The only final that neither team appeared during this period was in , which was a showdown between the
Philadelphia Flyers The Philadelphia Flyers are a professional ice hockey team based in Philadelphia. The Flyers compete in the National Hockey League (NHL) as a member of the Metropolitan Division in the Eastern Conference. The team plays its home games in Wells ...
and
Buffalo Sabres The Buffalo Sabres are a professional ice hockey team based in Buffalo, New York. The Sabres compete in the National Hockey League (NHL) as a member of the Atlantic Division in the Eastern Conference. The team was established in 1970, along w ...
. During this period, the Bruins and Canadiens reigned exclusively as Stanley Cup champions, except in 1967 when it was won by the Toronto Maple Leafs and the Philadelphia Flyers in and 1975.


1965 to early 1970s: Dominance by Montreal over resurgent Boston

Both teams won Stanley Cups between – against the
St. Louis Blues The St. Louis Blues are a professional ice hockey team based in St. Louis. The Blues compete in the National Hockey League (NHL) as a member of the Central Division in the Western Conference. The franchise was founded in 1967 as one of the s ...
, who entered play as an expansion team in the season, all series against the Blues were four-game sweeps. The Canadiens beat the Blues in 1968 and . The 1969 East Semifinals was described by ''
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'' as "the most intriguing Stanley Cup hockey series in a decade" as the upcoming Stanley Cup Finals against St. Louis would be considered a "formality." It pitted the defending champions Canadiens against the Bruins, an ascendent team since their 1967 trade with Chicago, with superstar defenceman
Bobby Orr Robert Gordon Orr (born March 20, 1948) is a Canadian former professional ice hockey player, widely acknowledged as one of the greatest of all time. Orr used his ice skating speed, scoring, and play-making abilities to revolutionize the pos ...
and regular season scoring champion
Phil Esposito Philip Anthony Esposito ( , ; born February 20, 1942) is a Canadian former professional ice hockey player, coach and executive, and current broadcaster for the Tampa Bay Lightning. A member of the Hockey Hall of Fame, he played 18 seasons in t ...
(who broke the century mark with 126 points). The Bruins had thought that they had outplayed their opponents in the series, however was the Habs who seemed to be in "the right place at the right time," as
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scored the winning goal in the second overtime period at
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to eliminate the Bruins in six games. In the 1969–70 season, the Canadiens narrowly missed the playoffs on the last day of the regular season, while the Bruins won their first Stanley Cup since on the famous overtime goal by Bobby Orr. In 1971, the Bruins finished first in the League with Esposito and Orr shattering scoring records, but they lost in the first round to the Canadiens, who went on to win the
Stanley Cup The Stanley Cup (french: La Coupe Stanley) is the championship trophy awarded annually to the National Hockey League (NHL) playoff champion. It is the oldest existing trophy to be awarded to a professional sports franchise in North America, an ...
, in seven games. Late in the 1970–71 regular season, Montreal traded for veteran
Frank Mahovlich Francis William Mahovlich CM (born January 10, 1938) is a Canadian former professional ice hockey player and a former Liberal Senator in the Canadian Senate. He played on six Stanley Cup-winning teams and is an inductee of the Hockey Hall of Fa ...
and called up rookie goaltender
Ken Dryden Kenneth Wayne Dryden (born August 8, 1947) is a Canadian politician, lawyer, businessman, author, and former National Hockey League (NHL) goaltender. He is an Officer of the Order of Canada and a member of the Hockey Hall of Fame. He was a Liber ...
; the Bruins had not faced Dryden in the last two regular season meetings with the Habs and he would become a surprise playoff starter who made miraculous saves on the Bruins. Notably in Game 2, the Bruins blew a 5–1 lead and lost 7–5. Bobby Orr had a hat-trick at the Forum in Game 4 to even the series. The Bruins dominated 7–3 in Game 5, but the Habs responded with an 8–3 victory in Game 6 and a 4–2 win in Game 7 to knock out the heavily favoured Bruins. Sportswriter Cam Cole wrote of the series, "Where the whole world stopped for the Boston Bruins and Montreal Canadiens in the spring of 1971, and my heart was crushed by the evil Habs. If I didn't actually cry, I sure as hell felt like it. It seemed at least unfair, and possibly illegal, that anyone should be able to stop as magnificent a creature as Bobby Orr—let alone Phil Esposito and
Johnny Bucyk John Paul Bucyk (born May 12, 1935) is a Canadian former professional ice hockey left winger and member of the Hockey Hall of Fame. Having played most of his career with the Boston Bruins, he has been associated in one capacity or another with the ...
and the rest—with some college-boy goalie en Dryden" Cole opined "there is no scale to measure the visceral abhorrence I harboured for the Canadiens, how badly I wanted Orr to win in '71

This ended a potential Bruins dynasty, though the Bruins would win the Stanley Cup the 1972 Stanley Cup Finals, following year against the
New York Rangers The New York Rangers are a professional ice hockey team based in the New York City borough of Manhattan. They compete in the National Hockey League (NHL) as a member of the Metropolitan Division in the Eastern Conference. The team plays its home ...
, who had earlier knocked out the Canadiens in the opening round of the playoffs.


Late 1970s: Bowman's Habs Dynasty vs Cherry's Lunch Pail Gang

The mid-1970s Montreal Canadiens, coached by
Scotty Bowman William Scott Bowman, OC (born September 18, 1933) is a Canadian former National Hockey League (NHL) head coach. He holds the record for most wins in league history, with 1,244 wins in the regular season and 223 in the Stanley Cup playoffs and ...
, had become one of the most dominant NHL dynasties of all time, with
Guy Lafleur Guy Damien Lafleur (September 20, 1951 – April 22, 2022), nicknamed "the Flower" and "Le Démon Blond", was a Canadian professional ice hockey player. He was the first player in National Hockey League (NHL) history to score 50 goals in six c ...
succeeding an often-injured Bobby Orr as the game's preeminent superstar. Their main opponents in the 1976–79 playoffs were the Boston Bruins, who due to the departure of Orr and Phil Esposito were rebuilt into the "Lunch Pail Athletic Club," with Head Coach Don Cherry encouraging physical play and balance over brilliance. The 1977 Finals saw the Habs sweep the Bruins in four games. During the 1978 Finals series, which the Habs won in six games, rough tactics were used against Lafleur, whose head was swathed in bandages at the end of the 1978 series after repeated high-sticking from Bruins players. Scotty Bowman later accused Bruins star defenceman
Brad Park Douglas Bradford "Brad" Park (born July 6, 1948) is a Canadian former professional ice hockey player. A defenceman, Park played in the National Hockey League (NHL) for the New York Rangers, Boston Bruins and Detroit Red Wings. Considered to be on ...
of being a "sneaky dirty player" during the 1978 Final

http://sportsillustrated.cnn.com/vault/article/magazine/MAG1092376/index.htm] The 1979 Semifinals was a rough-and-tumble series which saw both sides win at home through the first six games, the Bruins took a lead in the closing 4 minutes of Game 7 in Montreal on a goal by
Rick Middleton Richard David "Nifty" Middleton (born December 4, 1953) is a Canadian former professional ice hockey player for the New York Rangers and Boston Bruins of the National Hockey League. Playing career As a youth, Middleton played in the 1966 Quebec ...
. The Bruins were charged with a
minor penalty A penalty in ice hockey is a punishment for an infringement of the rules. Most penalties are enforced by sending the offending player to a penalty box for a set number of minutes. During the penalty the player may not participate in play. Penaltie ...
for having seven players on the ice, Lafleur scored the tying goal on the ensuing power play, and Montreal's
Yvon Lambert Yvon Pierre Lambert (born May 20, 1950) is a Canadian former professional ice hockey forward. Lambert was born in Drummondville, Quebec. Although drafted in 1970 by the Detroit Red Wings, Lambert started his National Hockey League (NHL) caree ...
scored in
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to win the series. The win allowed Montreal to advance to the
Stanley Cup Finals The Stanley Cup Finals in ice hockey (also known as the Stanley Cup Final among various media, french: Finale de la Coupe Stanley) is the National Hockey League's (NHL) championship series to determine the winner of the Stanley Cup, North America ...
against the New York Rangers, who had been on a surprising post-season run, which they dominated to capture a fourth consecutive cup. Still reeling from the penalty and the loss, Bruins General Manager
Harry Sinden Harry James Sinden (born September 14, 1932) is a Canadian former ice hockey player, coach, and executive. He served as a coach, general manager, and team president for the Boston Bruins of the National Hockey League (NHL), and was the coach of T ...
dismissed Head Coach Don Cherry, sending him to Coach's Corner on
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, although it was noted that the two men already had a tense relationship for some time. Cherry said that he had blamed himself for the too many men penalty, saying, "It was my fault. The guy couldn't have heard me yell. I grabbed two other guys trying to go over the boards. That would have made eight on the ice. Might as well have let them go." The summer of 1979 would see a moment of peace in the rivalry. That summer, both teams were against the NHL merging with the WHA. Montreal's reason was because they were upset of having to share the province of Quebec with the
Quebec Nordiques The Quebec Nordiques (french: Nordiques de Québec, pronounced in Quebec French, in Canadian English; translated "Quebec City Northmen" or "Northerners") were a professional ice hockey team based in Quebec City. The Nordiques played in the W ...
, and also because the Nordiques were owned by
Carling O'Keefe Carling O'Keefe was a brewing company in Canada that is now part of Molson Coors. The company's origins can be traced to Canadian Breweries, which bought the Carling Brewery in 1930 and the O'Keefe Brewery in 1934. Canadian Breweries purchased n ...
(at the time, a major competitor of Canadiens owner
Molson Breweries The Molson Brewery is a Canadian based brewery company based in Montreal which was established in 1786 by the Molson family. In 2005, Molson merged with the Adolph Coors Company to become Molson Coors. Molson Coors maintains some of its Can ...
) while the Bruins were against the merger because they believed that the New England Whalers were "invading their territory". Ultimately, a massive boycott of Molson's in Canada compelled the Canadiens to consent to the merger, which allowed it to pass with the necessary supermajority. Although Boston ultimately cast one of the few dissenting votes against the merger, the Whalers were nevertheless forced to change their name to the
Hartford Whalers The Hartford Whalers were a professional ice hockey team based for most of its existence in Hartford, Connecticut. The club played in the World Hockey Association (WHA) from 1972 until 1979, and in the National Hockey League (NHL) from 1979 to ...
.


1980s and 1990s: Division playoffs

The rivalry continued throughout the 1980s, mainly due to a division-oriented playoff format that seemed to pair the teams every year. Some memorable brawls took place, including one which continued into the tunnel between players who had been sent off. During the period of the division-oriented playoff format ( to ), each
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Final (except in , which featured the
New York Islanders The New York Islanders (colloquially known as the Isles) are a professional ice hockey team based in Elmont, New York. The Islanders compete in the National Hockey League (NHL) as a member of the Metropolitan Division in the Eastern Conference ( ...
and the
Quebec Nordiques The Quebec Nordiques (french: Nordiques de Québec, pronounced in Quebec French, in Canadian English; translated "Quebec City Northmen" or "Northerners") were a professional ice hockey team based in Quebec City. The Nordiques played in the W ...
, in-province rivals of the Canadiens, and , which featured the Philadelphia Flyers and the Nordiques) would feature either the Bruins or the Canadiens. Both teams made up four of the possible ten Finals appearances from to . The only final that neither team appeared during that time was , which was a showdown between the Philadelphia Flyers and the
Edmonton Oilers The Edmonton Oilers are a professional ice hockey team based in Edmonton. The Oilers compete in the National Hockey League (NHL) as a member of the Pacific Division of the Western Conference. They play their home games at Rogers Place, which ...
. However, the only time either team won during that period was in 1986, when the Canadiens beat the
Calgary Flames The Calgary Flames are a professional ice hockey team based in Calgary. The Flames compete in the National Hockey League (NHL) as a member of the Pacific Division (NHL), Pacific Division in the Western Conference (NHL), Western Conference, and ...
to win their 23rd Stanley Cup.


Consecutive playoff meetings

From 1984 to 1992, the teams met in the playoffs each year. In , the Bruins had won the Adams Division with a 49–25–6 record for 104 points, while the Canadiens, finished 35–40–5 for 75 points. The Canadiens, however, swept the Bruins in the division semifinals. In
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, the Bruins won their first playoff series against the Canadiens in 45 years in the latter's Montreal Forum on the way to advancing to the
Stanley Cup Final The Stanley Cup Finals in ice hockey (also known as the Stanley Cup Final among various media, french: Finale de la Coupe Stanley) is the National Hockey League's (NHL) championship series to determine the winner of the Stanley Cup, North America ...
s. However, they lost to the defending champions, the Edmonton Oilers, in the Finals. The next year, the Canadiens beat the Bruins on their way to the
Final Final, Finals or The Final may refer to: *Final (competition), the last or championship round of a sporting competition, match, game, or other contest which decides a winner for an event ** Another term for playoffs, describing a sequence of cont ...
s, where they lost to the
Calgary Flames The Calgary Flames are a professional ice hockey team based in Calgary. The Flames compete in the National Hockey League (NHL) as a member of the Pacific Division (NHL), Pacific Division in the Western Conference (NHL), Western Conference, and ...
. In
1990 File:1990 Events Collage.png, From left, clockwise: The 1990 FIFA World Cup is played in Italy; The Human Genome Project is launched; Voyager I takes the famous Pale Blue Dot image- speaking on the fragility of Humankind, humanity on Earth, Astroph ...
, the Bruins, who won the
Presidents' Trophy The Presidents' Trophy (french: Trophée des présidents) is an award presented by the National Hockey League (NHL) to the team that finishes with the most points (i.e. best record) during the NHL regular season. If two teams are tied for the mo ...
, finished off the Canadiens at Boston Garden for the first time since 1943. The Bruins advanced to the
Stanley Cup Finals The Stanley Cup Finals in ice hockey (also known as the Stanley Cup Final among various media, french: Finale de la Coupe Stanley) is the National Hockey League's (NHL) championship series to determine the winner of the Stanley Cup, North America ...
where they again lost to the Edmonton Oilers, this time in five games. The Bruins won the
1991 File:1991 Events Collage.png, From left, clockwise: Boris Yeltsin, elected as Russia's first president, waves the new flag of Russia after the 1991 Soviet coup d'état attempt, orchestrated by Soviet hardliners; Mount Pinatubo erupts in the Phil ...
and
1992 File:1992 Events Collage V1.png, From left, clockwise: 1992 Los Angeles riots, Riots break out across Los Angeles, California after the Police brutality, police beating of Rodney King; El Al Flight 1862 crashes into a residential apartment buildi ...
playoff match-ups against the Canadiens. Part of the Bruins' victories over the Canadiens was due in large part to goaltender
Andy Moog Donald Andrew Moog (; born February 18, 1960) is a Canadian former professional ice hockey goaltender. Moog played in the National Hockey League (NHL) for the Edmonton Oilers, Boston Bruins, Dallas Stars and Montreal Canadiens, and also for the C ...
, who was often referred to as a "Habs Killer." The 1991 series win for the Bruins was the first time they had won a Game 7 against the Canadiens, while the 1992 series was the first time since that the Bruins swept the Canadiens in the playoffs. It was only the second time that the Canadiens were swept in the playoffs; the other time came in the 1952 Stanley Cup Finals against the Detroit Red Wings. Ironically, Moog (who posted a 12-6 lifetime playoff record in head-to-head matchups against
Patrick Roy Patrick Jacques Roy (; born October 5, 1965) is a Canadian retired professional ice hockey goaltender and executive, who serves as the head coach for the Quebec Remparts of the Quebec Major Junior Hockey League (QMJHL). In 2017, Roy was named o ...
) signed with the Canadiens for the season and helped the Habs to their first playoff series win since their championship season of 1993. Other heroes of the 1992 sweep were seldom-used winger
Peter Douris Peter W. Douris (born February 19, 1966) is a Canadian former professional ice hockey right winger who played in the National Hockey League from 1985 to 1998. Biography Douris was born in Toronto, Ontario. As a youth, he played in the 1979 Quebec ...
, who contributed an overtime winner in Game Two and the clinching empty-netter in Game Four; and first-year head coach
Rick Bowness Richard Gary Bowness (born January 25, 1955) is a Canadian professional ice hockey coach and former player who is the head coach of the Winnipeg Jets of the National Hockey League (NHL). Bowness played right wing for the Atlanta Flames, Detroit R ...
, who got the Bruins to play a team game after captain
Ray Bourque Raymond Jean Bourque (born December 28, 1960) is a Canadian former professional ice hockey player. He holds records for most career goals, assists, and points by a defenceman in the National Hockey League (NHL). He won the James Norris Memorial ...
was lost during Game Two to an injury. "The Canadiens had had the Bruins' number in the playoffs for a long, long time," Bowness told author K.P. Wee in 2014, "and for the Bruins to not only beat the Canadiens but to sweep them--and sweep them on home ice--it meant so much to the loyal Bruins fans... It's a moment I'll never ever forget." After meeting in the playoffs every year from 1984 to 1992, the rivalry took a year off in
1993 File:1993 Events Collage.png, From left, clockwise: The Oslo I Accord is signed in an attempt to resolve the Israeli–Palestinian conflict; The Russian White House is shelled during the 1993 Russian constitutional crisis; Czechoslovakia is peace ...
. The reason was because the Bruins, who had won the Adams Division with 109 points, were swept in the opening round of the playoffs by the Buffalo Sabres on
Brad May Bradley Scott May (born November 29, 1971) is a Canadian former professional ice hockey player who played in the National Hockey League (NHL). In the 2006–07 season he won the Stanley Cup as a member of the Anaheim Ducks. He current ...
's famous "May Day" goal. With the Bruins and the
Pittsburgh Penguins The Pittsburgh Penguins (colloquially known as the Pens) are a professional ice hockey team based in Pittsburgh. They compete in the National Hockey League (NHL) as a member of the Metropolitan Division of the Eastern Conference, and have playe ...
eliminated in the first and second rounds, respectively, it made the Canadiens' road to their 24th Stanley Cup much easier. After losing the first two games of their opening round series to the Quebec Nordiques, the Canadiens began an incredible run by winning 11 consecutive games, a record set by the
Chicago Blackhawks The Chicago Blackhawks (spelled Black Hawks until 1986, and known colloquially as the Hawks) are a professional ice hockey team based in Chicago. The Blackhawks compete in the National Hockey League (NHL) as a member of the Central Division i ...
and tied by Pittsburgh the year before, and also set a playoff record by winning ten consecutive overtime games.


1990s realignments

When the NHL realigned for the season, they renamed the conferences and divisions to reflect geography and changed the playoff format. The realignment solidified the rivalry between the Bruins and Canadiens. The Canadiens entered the
playoffs The playoffs, play-offs, postseason or finals of a sports league are a competition played after the regular season by the top competitors to determine the league champion or a similar accolade. Depending on the league, the playoffs may be eithe ...
seeded fifth in the Eastern Conference, the Bruins fourth. The Canadiens, however, were again knocked out in the first round by the Bruins, this time in seven games. That playoff series is best known for the Canadiens'
Patrick Roy Patrick Jacques Roy (; born October 5, 1965) is a Canadian retired professional ice hockey goaltender and executive, who serves as the head coach for the Quebec Remparts of the Quebec Major Junior Hockey League (QMJHL). In 2017, Roy was named o ...
, after he came down with
appendicitis Appendicitis is inflammation of the appendix. Symptoms commonly include right lower abdominal pain, nausea, vomiting, and decreased appetite. However, approximately 40% of people do not have these typical symptoms. Severe complications of a rup ...
and missed Game 3, convincing doctors to let him return for Game 4 where he made 39 saves in his team's 5–2 victory. With the NHL expanding to include the
Nashville Predators The Nashville Predators (commonly referred to as the Preds) are a professional ice hockey team based in Nashville, Tennessee. They compete in the National Hockey League (NHL) as a member of the Central Division in the Western Conference, and ha ...
,
Atlanta Thrashers The Atlanta Thrashers were a professional ice hockey team based in Atlanta. Atlanta was granted a franchise in the National Hockey League (NHL) on June 25, 1997, and became the League's 28th franchise when it began play in the 1999–2000 seaso ...
(today's
Winnipeg Jets The Winnipeg Jets are a professional ice hockey team based in Winnipeg. The team competes in the National Hockey League (NHL) as a member of the Central Division in the Western Conference, and is owned by True North Sports & Entertainment, pl ...
),
Columbus Blue Jackets The Columbus Blue Jackets (often simply referred to as the Jackets) are a professional ice hockey team based in Columbus, Ohio. They compete in the National Hockey League (NHL) as a member of the Metropolitan Division in the Eastern Conference, ...
and
Minnesota Wild The Minnesota Wild are a professional ice hockey team based in Saint Paul, Minnesota. The Wild competes in the National Hockey League (NHL) as a member of the Central Division in the Western Conference and play their home games at the Xcel Ener ...
between the and seasons, the NHL realigned again, splitting each conference into three divisions of five teams each in .


21st century


2000–2010

In 2000 and 2001, both teams missed the playoffs. The Canadiens defeated the Bruins in the first round of both the
2002 File:2002 Events Collage.png, From left, clockwise: The 2002 Winter Olympics are held in Salt Lake City; Queen Elizabeth The Queen Mother and her daughter Princess Margaret, Countess of Snowdon die; East Timor gains East Timor independence, indepe ...
and the
2004 Stanley Cup playoffs The 2004 Stanley Cup playoffs for the National Hockey League began on April 7, 2004, following the 2003–04 regular season. The playoffs ended with the Tampa Bay Lightning winning the Stanley Cup with a seven-game series win over the Calgary F ...
, despite the Bruins being seeded higher. The Bruins had finished first in the Eastern Conference in 2002 and second in 2004. For the Canadiens, the 2002 victory was their first playoff series victory since
1998 1998 was designated as the ''International Year of the Ocean''. Events January * January 6 – The '' Lunar Prospector'' spacecraft is launched into orbit around the Moon, and later finds evidence for frozen water, in soil in permanently ...
. During that series, the Canadiens used the power play to oust the Bruins. In 2004, the Bruins lost their first playoff series after having a 3–1 series lead, and it was the first time that the Canadiens had won a series in seven games after trailing 3–1. On June 22, 2007, during the offseason, former Canadiens coach Claude Julien was named head coach of the Bruins. Despite the new hiring, the Canadiens, for the first time in many years, did better than the Bruins in the regular season, winning all match-ups between the two teams. During a regular season game between the two teams, Steve Begin, who would become a Bruin himself in the 2009–10 season, cross-checked centre
Marc Savard Marc Savard (born July 17, 1977) is a Canadian former professional ice hockey centre and current head coach of the Windsor Spitfires of the Ontario Hockey League (OHL). He played in the National Hockey League (NHL) for the New York Rangers (who o ...
from behind, resulting in a broken bone in Savard's back. The Canadiens met the Bruins in the first round of the
Stanley Cup playoffs The Stanley Cup playoffs (french: Les séries éliminatoires de la Coupe Stanley) is an elimination tournament in the National Hockey League (NHL) consisting of four rounds of best-of-seven series to determine the league champion and the winner ...
, which Montreal won in seven games on a shutout by goaltender
Carey Price Carey Price (born August 16, 1987) is a Canadian professional ice hockey goaltender for the Montreal Canadiens of the National Hockey League (NHL). He is considered to be one of the best goaltenders in the world by many colleagues, fans, ''The ...
in Game 7. The regular season, however, resulted in an almost complete reversal of the previous year's results for the two teams, as out of the six meetings of the Bruins and Canadiens the Bruins gained a total of 11 of 12 total points in those six games. The Bruins ended the regular season first in the Eastern Conference standings with 116 points, while Montreal made it into the 2009 playoffs with 93 points, the two teams meet for the 32nd time in their long history. Boston swept the series for first time since 1992 and for the first time in franchise history in the first round. In the season, the second game between the two teams was played at the
Bell Centre Bell Centre (), formerly known as Molson Centre (), is a multi-purpose arena located in Montreal, Quebec, Canada. Opened on March 16, 1996, it is the home arena of the Montreal Canadiens of the National Hockey League (NHL), replacing the Montr ...
on December 4, 2009, the very date of the Canadiens' 100th anniversary as a hockey team, which resulted in a 5–1 home victory for the Canadiens. The Canadiens won five of six games from the Bruins during the regular season. The Bruins finished the season seeded sixth in the Eastern Conference, while the Canadiens finished eighth. However, the two teams didn't meet in the
playoffs The playoffs, play-offs, postseason or finals of a sports league are a competition played after the regular season by the top competitors to determine the league champion or a similar accolade. Depending on the league, the playoffs may be eithe ...
. Although the Canadiens upset the defending champion Pittsburgh Penguins in seven games, the Bruins blew a 3–0 series lead against the Philadelphia Flyers following a serious injury to key Bruin centre
David Krejci David (; , "beloved one") (traditional spelling), , ''Dāwūd''; grc-koi, Δαυΐδ, Dauíd; la, Davidus, David; gez , ዳዊት, ''Dawit''; xcl, Դաւիթ, ''Dawitʿ''; cu, Давíдъ, ''Davidŭ''; possibly meaning "beloved one". w ...
in Game 3 of the series. Like in 1979, the Bruins lost because of a "too many men" penalty. Had the Bruins won their series, the two teams would have met in the Conference Finals.


2010–present

In the season, Montreal won four of six meetings. One game on February 9, which the Bruins won 8–6, saw a brawl in which All-Star goaltenders
Carey Price Carey Price (born August 16, 1987) is a Canadian professional ice hockey goaltender for the Montreal Canadiens of the National Hockey League (NHL). He is considered to be one of the best goaltenders in the world by many colleagues, fans, ''The ...
and Tim Thomas squared off during the second period, leaving the penalty boxes overflowing and the ice littered with the players' equipment. The game featured six fights, a goalie fight and a total of 187 penalty minutes issued. On March 8, the Canadiens defeated the Bruins 4–1, but the game was marred when the Bruins' Zdeno Chara checked Habs'
Max Pacioretty Maximillian Kolenda Pacioretty (born November 20, 1988) is an American professional ice hockey left winger for the Carolina Hurricanes of the National Hockey League (NHL). Pacioretty was drafted in the first round, 22nd overall, in the 2007 NHL ...
into the glass between the player's bench areas with 15.8 seconds left in the second period. His head hit one of the metal uprights and he was knocked unconscious. He was taken from the ice on a gurney with his head and neck stabilized. He was taken to hospital for observation, but the Canadiens said he was alert and had full use of his limbs. Chara, who received an interference major and a game misconduct, said of the hit, "I knew we were somewhere close to our bench but obviously that wasn't my intention to push him into the post. It's very unfortunate. In that situation everything's happening fast and even planning to do that, that's not my style to hurt somebody. I always play hard. I play physical but I never try to hurt anybody so I'm hoping he's OK." However, Chara was not suspended or fined for the hit. Canadiens General Manager
Pierre Gauthier Pierre Gauthier (born May 28, 1953) is a former General Manager of the Montreal Canadiens, Mighty Ducks of Anaheim, and Ottawa Senators. He is currently the director of player personnel of the Chicago Blackhawks. Hockey career Gauthier started ou ...
said that "the NHL took its decision and it's not for us to express our opinion publicly." Pacioretty, however, was "disgusted" that the NHL did not suspend Chara for the hit.
Montreal Police Montreal ( ; officially Montréal, ) is the second-most populous city in Canada and most populous city in the Canadian province of Quebec. Founded in 1642 as '' Ville-Marie'', or "City of Mary", it is named after Mount Royal, the triple-p ...
conducted a criminal investigation into the hit. On April 28, Pacioretty said that he had no ill will towards Chara for the injury that ended his season. He said, "I think he regrets what he did and I forgive him because he definitely made an effort to contact me and go out of his way to tell me how he felt. I respect him for that." The two teams met for the final time during the season on March 24, with Bruins David Krejci, Zdeno Chara and Milan Lucic each scoring three assists in a 7–0 blowout of the Canadiens. Boston won the Northeast Division title on April 2, while Montreal finished the season seeded sixth following a 4–1 win over the Toronto Maple Leafs on April 9, and with the win, faced the Bruins in the first round of the 2011 Stanley Cup playoffs. The Bruins–Canadiens first round meeting in the 2011 playoffs was the 33rd meeting of these teams in the post-season, by far the most frequent playoff series in NHL history. The Bruins dropped their first two games at home but managed to win the next two away to tie the series, finally advancing in seven games after
Nathan Horton Nathan Russell Horton (born May 29, 1985) is a Canadian former professional ice hockey player. During his career, Horton played for the Florida Panthers, Boston Bruins and Columbus Blue Jackets. He was drafted third overall by the Panthers in the ...
's second overtime goal of the series. The Bruins became the first team to win a seven-game playoff series without scoring a
power play Power play or powerplay or their plurals may refer to: Sports * Power play (sporting term), a sporting term used in various games * Powerplay (cricket), a rule concerning fielding restrictions in one-day international cricket * Power play (cur ...
goal. In Game 4, Bruins defenceman
Andrew Ference Andrew James Stewart Ference (born March 17, 1979) is a Canadian former professional ice hockey defenseman. Ference played for the Pittsburgh Penguins, Calgary Flames, Boston Bruins and the Edmonton Oilers. In 2011, Ference helped the Bruins to ...
made an obscene gesture and as a result was fined $2,500 by the League. In Game 6, Milan Lucic of the Bruins received a five-minute
major penalty A penalty in ice hockey is a punishment for an infringement of the rules. Most penalties are enforced by sending the offending player to a penalty box for a set number of minutes. During the penalty the player may not participate in play. Penaltie ...
and a
game misconduct A penalty in ice hockey is a punishment for an infringement of the rules. Most penalties are enforced by sending the offending player to a penalty box for a set number of minutes. During the penalty the player may not participate in play. Penaltie ...
for boarding after hitting Habs defenceman
Jaroslav Spacek Jaroslav (also written as Yaroslav or Jarosław in other Slavic languages) is a Czech and Slovak first name, pagan in origin. There are several possible origins of the name Jaroslav. It is very likely that originally the two elements of the nam ...
head-first into the glass at centre ice at 4:37 in the second period. The Bruins made it all the way to the
Finals Final, Finals or The Final may refer to: *Final (competition), the last or championship round of a sporting competition, match, game, or other contest which decides a winner for an event ** Another term for playoffs, describing a sequence of cont ...
, beating the
Vancouver Canucks The Vancouver Canucks are a professional ice hockey team based in Vancouver. They compete in the National Hockey League (NHL) as a member of the Pacific Division of the Western Conference, and play their home games at Rogers Arena. Bruce B ...
to bring the sixth
Stanley Cup The Stanley Cup (french: La Coupe Stanley) is the championship trophy awarded annually to the National Hockey League (NHL) playoff champion. It is the oldest existing trophy to be awarded to a professional sports franchise in North America, an ...
victory in Bruins' history to Boston. It was the first time that Boston had beaten Montreal en route to winning the championship, since the Bruins' first Stanley Cup victory in 1929. In the 2011–12 season, the Bruins won the Northeast Division as the Canadiens failed to qualify for the post-season. The Bruins won the season series, winning the final four games after losing the first two in a home-and-home series in the final week of October, outscoring them 13–11. Following the Bruins' elimination by the
Washington Capitals The Washington Capitals (colloquially known as the Caps) are a professional ice hockey team based in Washington, D.C. The team competes in the National Hockey League (NHL) as a member of the Metropolitan Division in the Eastern Conference (NHL) ...
in the first round of the 2012 playoffs, events within the
2012 NHL Entry Draft The 2012 NHL Entry Draft was the 50th NHL Entry Draft. The draft was held June 22–23, 2012, at Consol Energy Center in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania. It was the first time that Pittsburgh hosted the draft since the 1997 NHL Entry Draft. The top th ...
saw the Bruins select the younger brother of Canadiens defenceman
P. K. Subban Pernell-Karl Sylvester Subban ( ; born May 13, 1989) is a Canadian former professional ice hockey defenceman. Between 2009 and 2022, he played 13 seasons in the National Hockey League (NHL) with the Montreal Canadiens, Nashville Predators, a ...
, goaltender
Malcolm Subban Malcolm-Jamaal Justin Subban (born December 21, 1993) is a Canadian professional ice hockey goaltender under contract to the St. Louis Blues of the National Hockey League (NHL). Subban was selected by the Boston Bruins in the first round (24th ...
, as their first-round pick, prompting the chance for yet another aspect to the teams' rivalry in the future; they later signed Malcolm to a three-year, entry-level contract on September 6, 2012. The very first opportunity that the two brothers had to face each other was on September 16, 2013, in a pre-season match between the Bruins and Canadiens at Montreal's
Bell Centre Bell Centre (), formerly known as Molson Centre (), is a multi-purpose arena located in Montreal, Quebec, Canada. Opened on March 16, 1996, it is the home arena of the Montreal Canadiens of the National Hockey League (NHL), replacing the Montr ...
—Malcolm replaced Bruins rookie goaltender
Chad Johnson Chad Ochocinco Johnson (born Chad Javon Johnson; January 9, 1978), known from 2008 to 2012 as Chad Ochocinco, is a former American football wide receiver. He played college football for Santa Monica College and Oregon State University, and pl ...
at about 14 minutes into the game's second period and managed to stop every shot in the 31:49 he played in net en route to a 6–3 defeat of the Habs. In the lockout-shortened season, both teams met only four times, with Montreal winning the final three games after losing the first meeting in Montreal on February 6. All games in that year's series were decided by one goal. Both teams battled for the Northeast Division title all season, before Montreal won the Division when the Bruins lost in a makeup game against the
Ottawa Senators The Ottawa Senators (french: Sénateurs d'Ottawa), officially the Ottawa Senators Hockey Club and colloquially known as the Sens, are a professional ice hockey team based in Ottawa. They compete in the National Hockey League (NHL) as a membe ...
on April 28. However, the Canadiens lost decisively in the opening round to the Senators in five games, preventing a post-season meeting between the teams. The Bruins would fare well in the playoffs, advancing to the Stanley Cup Finals but losing to the Chicago Blackhawks in six games. The realignment that occurred in the offseason of
2013 File:2013 Events Collage V2.png, From left, clockwise: Edward Snowden becomes internationally famous for leaking classified NSA wiretapping information; Typhoon Haiyan kills over 6,000 in the Philippines and Southeast Asia; The Dhaka garment fact ...
kept the Bruins, Canadiens and Maple Leafs in the same division, now called the Atlantic Division. This maintained the rivalry between all three Original Six teams that has existed for the better part of a century. A fourth Original Six team, the Detroit Red Wings, also joined the Division. Due to the new scheduling rules, inter-division teams are to meet either four to five times a season; the Bruins and Canadiens met four times. Montreal won three of four—with one of the wins being a March 24 shootout at the TD Garden, ending a season-record 12 game Bruins winning streak—in their regular season quartet of matches. The League restored division-oriented playoff format, which allowed the Bruins and Canadiens to play each other in the second round of the 2014 playoffs, as the Canadiens swept the
Tampa Bay Lightning The Tampa Bay Lightning (colloquially known as the Bolts) are a professional ice hockey team based in Tampa, Florida. They compete in the National Hockey League (NHL) as a member of the Atlantic Division in the Eastern Conference. They play th ...
, and the Bruins beat Detroit in five games. The Canadiens would go on to face and defeat the Presidents' Trophy-winning Bruins in the playoffs in seven games. Several controversial incidents, however, would cast a shadow over the hard-fought series. Following the Canadiens' 3–1 victory in Game 7, Bruins forward
Milan Lucic Milan Lucic (; born June 7, 1988) is a Canadian professional ice hockey player for the Calgary Flames of the National Hockey League (NHL). He played major junior hockey with the Vancouver Giants in the Western Hockey League (WHL) for three seas ...
allegedly threatened Canadiens forward
Dale Weise Dale Kenton Weise (born August 5, 1988) is a Canadian former professional ice hockey right winger. He played for the New York Rangers, Vancouver Canucks, Montreal Canadiens, Chicago Blackhawks, and Philadelphia Flyers of the National Hockey Leag ...
in the handshake-line, claiming, "I'm going to fucking kill you." Lucic's actions were widely criticized by commentators and fans. While Lucic did not make a full apology, he did acknowledge that his actions were "over the line" and were caused by his frustrations about losing the series. In the 2014–15 season, Montreal won all four meetings between the teams, sweeping the season series between the two teams in regulation for the first time since the 2008–09 season. Milan Lucic was again involved in controversy in a separate incident during the season when he made an obscene gesture in a game at the Bell Centre, raising his middle finger to the crowd as he entered the penalty box. He was later fined $5,000 by the NHL and apologized for his "inexcusable" actions. The Bruins would go on to miss the playoffs for the first time since the 2006–07 season. One anticipated event for the rivalry was set late in January 2015: following the Bruins' first-ever outdoor game in 2010, and the Canadiens' appearance in the
2003 File:2003 Events Collage.png, From top left, clockwise: The crew of STS-107 perished when the Space Shuttle Columbia disintegrated during reentry into Earth's atmosphere; SARS became an epidemic in China, and was a precursor to SARS-CoV-2; A des ...
and
2011 File:2011 Events Collage.png, From top left, clockwise: a protester partaking in Occupy Wall Street heralds the beginning of the Occupy movement; protests against Libyan dictator Muammar Gaddafi, who was killed that October; a young man celebrate ...
Heritage Classics, the Bruins and Canadiens faced each other in the 2016 NHL Winter Classic outdoor hockey game which was held at
Gillette Stadium Gillette Stadium is a multi-purpose stadium located in the town of Foxborough, Massachusetts, which is southwest of downtown Boston. It serves as the home stadium and administrative offices for both the New England Patriots of the National Footb ...
in Foxboro. The Canadiens proceeded to win the game 5–1. The 732nd regular season encounter on December 9, 2015, between the Bruins and Canadiens at the Bell Centre, the last regular season game of the rivalry before the Winter Classic, broke a losing streak in the Bell Centre for the Bruins going back to May 8, 2014, in the 2014 Eastern Conference Second Round when Tuukka Rask last played in goal for a 1-0 Bruins victory in the Bell Centre. The December 9, 2015 game there resulted in a 3-1 Bruins road victory with Rask in net, with new Bruins skater
Landon Ferraro Landon Christopher Ferraro (born August 8, 1991) is a Canadian professional ice hockey centre who is currently playing under contract with Kölner Haie of the Deutsche Eishockey Liga (DEL). Ferraro was drafted 32nd overall by the Detroit Red Wi ...
scoring the game-winning second Bruins goal. The rivalry hit another high peak when head coach Claude Julien was fired by the Bruins on February 7, 2017, and was later named head coach of the Canadiens a week later on February 14. Claude Julien took over the duties of previous head coach
Michel Therrien Michel Therrien (born November 4, 1963) is a Canadian professional ice hockey coach. (NHL). Therrien formerly coached the Montreal Canadiens, the Pittsburgh Penguins and the Philadelphia Flyers. Prior to his coaching career, Therrien played pr ...
after he was fired from the Canadiens while assistant coach
Bruce Cassidy Bruce James Cassidy (born May 20, 1965) is a Canadian hockey coach and former professional ice hockey player. He is the current head coach of the Vegas Golden Knights of the National Hockey League (NHL). He has previously served as the head coac ...
simultaneously took over the duties of Julien. Though no regular season matchups remained between the two teams in the 2016–17 season, Cassidy's very slight changes in coaching, as opposed to Julien's, resulted in the Bruins achieving an 18-8-1 win/loss/overtime loss record through their remaining regular season games, to get the Bruins into the playoffs for the first time since 2014. This accomplishment made a playoff series between the Bruins and their former coach possible. This did not come to pass, however, as both teams lost in six games in a best-of-seven series to be eliminated in the first round of the
2017 Stanley Cup playoffs The 2017 Stanley Cup playoffs of the National Hockey League (NHL) began on April 12, 2017, after the 2016–17 regular season and concluded on June 11, 2017, with the Pittsburgh Penguins defeating the Nashville Predators four games to two in the ...
. With the Bruins winning all four of their games against the Canadiens in the
2017–18 NHL season The 2017–18 NHL season was the 101st season of operation (100th season of play) of the National Hockey League. With the addition of a new expansion team, the Vegas Golden Knights, 31 teams competed in an 82-game regular season. The regular sea ...
their rivalry heated up once again as with less than two minutes to go in the season period on their January 13
Phillip Danault Phillip Danault (born February 24, 1993) is a Canadian professional ice hockey center and an alternate captain for the Los Angeles Kings of the National Hockey League (NHL). He was drafted 26th overall by the Chicago Blackhawks in the 2011 NHL En ...
took a puck to the head and had to be stretchered off the ice, and with the Canadiens not making it to the playoffs their rivalry ended, until next season. Following the Canadiens missing the 2018 Stanley Cup playoffs as the sixth-place team in the Atlantic Division as the NHL regular season concluded, and the Atlantic Division's second-place Bruins losing in the second round to the
Tampa Bay Lightning The Tampa Bay Lightning (colloquially known as the Bolts) are a professional ice hockey team based in Tampa, Florida. They compete in the National Hockey League (NHL) as a member of the Atlantic Division in the Eastern Conference. They play th ...
, one of Montreal's 2018 development camp invitees, the undrafted, 2018
Emile Bouchard Trophy The Émile Bouchard Trophy is awarded annually by the Quebec Major Junior Hockey League, to the "Defenceman Defence or defense (in American English) in ice hockey is a player position that is primarily responsible for preventing the opposing te ...
-winning QMJHL defenceman, 21 year old Olivier Galipeau from Montreal, who completed his junior hockey career with the
Acadie–Bathurst Titan The Acadie–Bathurst Titan are a major junior ice hockey team based in Bathurst, New Brunswick, Canada. They are members of the Telus Maritimes Division in the Telus Conference of the Quebec Major Junior Hockey League (QMJHL). The team plays it ...
(where Bruins star center Patrice Bergeron also played his junior hockey in Canada), instead attended the Bruins' own development camp at the
Warrior Ice Arena Warrior Arena is an ice hockey arena and practice facility in Brighton, Boston, Massachusetts. The arena is part of a larger mixed-use development being constructed by New Balance at Boston Landing that includes the headquarters of New Balance an ...
as an invitee, eventually signing with the AHL
Providence Bruins The Providence Bruins are a professional ice hockey team in the American Hockey League (AHL), and are the primary development team for the Boston Bruins of the National Hockey League (NHL). They play at the Amica Mutual Pavilion in Providence, Rh ...
farm team of the NHL Bruins, for the Providence team's upcoming season. Galipeau was on the "expected" roster due to skate at the Bruins' 2018-19 training camp at the
Warrior Ice Arena Warrior Arena is an ice hockey arena and practice facility in Brighton, Boston, Massachusetts. The arena is part of a larger mixed-use development being constructed by New Balance at Boston Landing that includes the headquarters of New Balance an ...
. Following the first four games of the pre-season schedule, Galipeau was invited to the Providence Bruins training camp, as the main Boston team began cutting down their roster for the regular 2018–19 season. During the
2020–21 NHL season The dash is a punctuation mark consisting of a long horizontal line. It is similar in appearance to the hyphen but is longer and sometimes higher from the baseline. The most common versions are the endash , generally longer than the hyphen b ...
, COVID-19 cross-border travel restrictions required the NHL to temporarily realign for the 2020–21 season, putting all seven Canadian teams into one division. The season was also abbreviated to a 56-game schedule and all games were played exclusively between division opponents; this eliminated any chance for the Bruins and Canadiens to face each other in regular season play for the first time since the Bruins' founding as an NHL team in December 1924. After the conclusion of the regular season, as the Bruins defeated the
Washington Capitals The Washington Capitals (colloquially known as the Caps) are a professional ice hockey team based in Washington, D.C. The team competes in the National Hockey League (NHL) as a member of the Metropolitan Division in the Eastern Conference (NHL) ...
four games to one in the First Round, the Bruins fell to the
New York Islanders The New York Islanders (colloquially known as the Isles) are a professional ice hockey team based in Elmont, New York. The Islanders compete in the National Hockey League (NHL) as a member of the Metropolitan Division in the Eastern Conference ( ...
four games to two in the Second Round. Conversely, after playoff series wins over the
Toronto Maple Leafs The Toronto Maple Leafs (officially the Toronto Maple Leaf Hockey Club and often referred to as the Leafs) are a professional ice hockey team based in Toronto. They compete in the National Hockey League (NHL) as a member of the Atlantic Div ...
,
Winnipeg Jets The Winnipeg Jets are a professional ice hockey team based in Winnipeg. The team competes in the National Hockey League (NHL) as a member of the Central Division in the Western Conference, and is owned by True North Sports & Entertainment, pl ...
and
Vegas Golden Knights The Vegas Golden Knights are a professional ice hockey team based in the Las Vegas metropolitan area. They compete in the National Hockey League (NHL) as a member of the Pacific Division in the Western Conference. Founded in 2017 as an expan ...
, the Canadiens made it to their first Stanley Cup Finals since
1993 File:1993 Events Collage.png, From left, clockwise: The Oslo I Accord is signed in an attempt to resolve the Israeli–Palestinian conflict; The Russian White House is shelled during the 1993 Russian constitutional crisis; Czechoslovakia is peace ...
, in the
2021 Stanley Cup Finals The 2021 Stanley Cup Finals was the championship series of the National Hockey League's (NHL) 2020–21 season and the culmination of the 2021 Stanley Cup playoffs. The series was between the Montreal Canadiens and the defending champion Tamp ...
where they were defeated by the
Tampa Bay Lightning The Tampa Bay Lightning (colloquially known as the Bolts) are a professional ice hockey team based in Tampa, Florida. They compete in the National Hockey League (NHL) as a member of the Atlantic Division in the Eastern Conference. They play th ...
in five games.


See also

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National Hockey League rivalries Rivalries in the National Hockey League have occurred between many teams and cities. Rivalries have arisen among NHL teams for many different reasons, the primary ones including geographic proximity, familiarity with opponents, on-ice incidents, a ...


References

;Inline citations ;Bibliography * * * * {{DEFAULTSORT:Bruins-Canadiens rivalry History of the Boston Bruins History of the Montreal Canadiens National Hockey League rivalries