The Montreal Canadiens took advantage of an error by Bruins rookie Kevan Miller to get the early lead, but with Boston fighting back and the Canadiens’ season on the line, it seemed unlikely that one goal would be enough.
It won’t have to be now. Max Pacioretty’s lack of offensive output -- he had one goal in nine playoff games -- had been a persistent topic recently, but he came up big tonight. He outskated Bruins defenseman Zdeno Chara as the puck sped towards Boston’s net and Pacioretty was able to wrist it by Tuukka Rask as a result.
You can see that goal below:
Just 2:15 minutes later, Thomas Vanek netted a power-play goal to give the Canadiens a 3-0 lead, which they took into the second intermission: