Boston’s four-game streak and one-point standings edge set up a high-stakes test against Montréal’s top scorers.
Boston brings a four-game winning streak and a 13-4-1 record into Thursday’s meeting, holding a one-point standings edge over Montréal at 11-3-4. The Bruins rank third in the power index at 90.4, well ahead of the Canadiens at 12th with 66.2, but Montréal has won three of its last five. David Pastrnak leads Boston with 22 points in 14 games, while Cole Caufield and Lane Hutson each have 15 points for Montréal. Goaltending could decide the matchup: Jeremy Swayman owns a .921 save percentage, and Jacob Fowler has a .924 mark, so timely stops against those leading scorers may swing the narrow points gap.