In a throwback to hockey's most intense rivalry eras, the Montreal Canadiens delivered a stunning 6-2 offensive beating to the Boston Bruins at TD Garden on Tuesday, December 23, 2025. The victory snapped a nine-game losing streak for the Habs in Boston, dating back to January 14, 2019.
A Night of Fights and Fireworks
The tone was set immediately, as Josh Anderson and Tanner Jeannot dropped the gloves right off the opening faceoff. The old-fashioned hostility continued just over eight minutes later when Arber Xhekaj and Nikita Zadorov engaged in a heavyweight bout at centre ice. The teams combined for 68 penalty minutes, with Boston accounting for 36.
Critics may debate fighting's place, but the Boston crowd was unequivocally on its feet, reveling in the raw emotion of the historic rivalry. The Canadiens, who along with the Bruins are the NHL's two most penalized teams, channeled that energy into a commanding win.
Young Stars Steal the Show in Homecoming Performances
Two young Canadiens with strong Boston connections were instrumental in the victory. Defenceman Lane Hutson, who played his college hockey at Boston University, was a force on the blue line, recording three assists.
In net, rookie goaltender Jacob Fowler, a former Boston College Eagle, was nearly flawless. After allowing two first-period goals, Fowler stopped all 26 shots he faced over the final two periods, finishing with a .929 save percentage. "It's not an easy place to play," Fowler said post-game. "I haven't played in the playoffs, but it felt like that kind of atmosphere tonight."
Game Breakdown and Key Moments
Montreal's Samuel Blais opened the scoring on a sharp-angle shot that deflected off Bruins goalie Jeremy Swayman, but Boston's Marat Khusnutdinov tied it 77 seconds later. The Bruins took a 2-1 lead into the first intermission after Alex Steeves scored on the power play with just 18 seconds left.
The game turned in the second. Fowler stoned Jeannot on a breakaway early, and shortly after, Ivan Demidov tied the game 2-2 on a breakaway, beating Swayman cleanly. The floodgates opened in the third period, with the Canadiens scoring four times.
Cole Caufield, ending a six-game goal drought, scored on a two-man advantage. Captain Nick Suzuki batted a puck out of mid-air for a goal, and Juraj Slafkovsky finished the scoring, converting a sublime cross-ice pass from Hutson. Swayman's night ended with a .793 save percentage after allowing four goals on eight third-period shots.
The win improved Fowler's record to 3-1-1 in five appearances with Montreal. The loss extended Boston's losing streak to four games, during which they've been outscored 20-9.
