Montreal’s Cole Caufield found the back of the net twice, but the Canadiens have struggled recently, having lost four of their last five matches. McAvoy opened the scoring for the Bruins with a wraparound goal at 11:45 of the first period. Not long after, David Pastrnak blasted in a one-timer from the right circle 55 seconds later, followed swiftly by Coyle, who scored on a backhand shot just 15 seconds after Pastrnak’s goal.

The event drew special attention with NHL Commissioner Gary Bettman present, as this game closed a year filled with celebrations of the Bruins’ storied history. “It was a remarkable year, but this is a remarkable franchise — 100 years old,” he noted during the intermission between the first and second periods.

In terms of performance, the Canadiens struggled throughout much of the game, displaying signs of being one of the league’s weaker teams, although they attempted to rally some momentum in the third period. For the Bruins, the match marked their fourth victory in six games since Joe Sacco stepped in as interim coach for the dismissed Jim Montgomery.

A significant highlight of the evening was a pregame ceremony featuring legendary Bruins alumni Bobby Orr, Willie O’Ree, Ray Bourque, and Johnny Bucyk, who celebrated the franchise’s past. O’Ree, at 89 years old, expressed pride in being part of the Bruins family, stating, “A hundred years! I’m just so proud to be a part of the Bruins’ family.” Bourque added, “This being the final chapter, closing the book on 100 years, it’s just amazing the history and everything that’s happened in a hundred years for the Boston Bruins.”

A noteworthy statistic from the game was the remarkable feat of scoring three goals within just 70 seconds. Looking ahead, the Canadiens will face the Rangers at home on Tuesday, while the Bruins will host the Red Wings on the same night.