The Montreal Canadiens and Boston Bruins are two of the NHL’s most storied rivals, and the two Original Six teams squared off on Saturday night.
This is significant because it was the first game of the season 2023-24. Not only that, but the Bruins were missing Zdeno Chara and Patrice Bergeron. Yes, Chara had left the organization before the end of last year, but he had been a huge pillar for the Bruins over the last 15 years. Bergeron and Chara are gone, and the Bruins look a lot different.
Much the same is true for the Canadiens, with many young Canadiens experiencing their first taste of the Bruins-Habs rivalry. For example, in his first game against the Bruins, Kaiden Guhle scored the game-winning overtime goal on Saturday night, firing a rebound past Jeremy Swayman. Alex Newhook and Josh Anderson exchanged passes; the latter was also playing his first game in the rivalry, and he drew the secondary assist on the OT winner.
For his first game against the Habs since being named captain, Brad Marchand flaunted his new ‘C’ on his sweater. There were also a few young additions to the Bruins roster, giving the battle a youthful feel. Mason Lohrei, 22, and his fellow rookie teammates, forwards 19-year-old Matthew Poitras and 22-year-old John Beecher, were thrust into the storied matchup.
Milan Lucic and Dale Weise’s interaction in the handshake lineup is still fresh in our minds. Chara’s vicious hit on former Canadiens captain Max Pacioretty. And Andrew Ference’s infamous middle finger to the Habs fans.
But don’t worry; these two teams have continued to evolve and produce must-see television. You can bet that the new era of this bitter rivalry will keep things moving forward. Milan Lucic was out with an injury, so Garnet Hathaway, Patrick, and Trent Frederic were the new thorns in the Habs’ side.
Because Lucic was out, Arber Xhekaj and Michael Pezzetta didn’t have much to deal with in the rivalry game. They were, however, their usual physical selves, employing big hits to generate energy for the team. The brawls will occur at some point, but not during the Saturday night game, which benefits the Habs because Xhekaj has proven to be an important part of the team’s plans when he is not in the penalty box.
With players like Joshua Roy and Logan Mailloux still on the rise in the American Hockey League. Lane Hutson and Luke Tuch are two NCAA players. And, while he is currently with the Brantford Bulldogs in the Ontario Hockey League, if Florian Xhekaj makes it to the NHL, he will undoubtedly be a valuable addition to this battle.
While Brendan Gallagher wasn’t a thorn in Marchand’s side, it’s something to look for the next time, and he did give the team a 2-1 lead. The Habs-Bruins rivalry is in good hands, and as the Canadiens work their way through the rebuild, hope for some playoff action emerges.
