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First-period flurry fuels Canadiens past Bruins

Jan 23, 2008 - 6:51 AM By Mark Lidbetter PA SportsTicker Contributing Writer

MONTREAL (Ticker) - The Montreal Canadiens wasted no time in continuing their recent domination of the Boston Bruins.

The Canadiens scored four times on seven shots in the first period and never looked back as they pummeled the Bruins, 8-2, on Tuesday for their sixth win in as many meetings this season.

Andrei Kostitsyn had two goals for Montreal, which had seven different players tally en route to handing Boston its worst loss of the season. The Canadiens also defeated the Bruins, 6-1, on October 22 and have outscored Boston, 21-7, in three home games this season.

"There aren't too many positive things to pull from our games against these guys," defenseman Andrew Ference said. "There aren't even any great stretches of hockey - we aren't exactly learning our lessons.

"Whether you get embarrassed here or there - obviously we've had our share against Montreal - but all that matters is we end up eight or better (on the scoreboard)."

It took just 14 seconds for the Canadiens to take the lead as Tom Kostopoulos fired a loose puck into a vacant net when goaltender Alex Auld was caught out of position.

Michael Ryder celebrated being reunited with his line mates - Saku Koivu and Christopher Higgins - by deftly deflecting a Koivu pass at the top of the crease. The puck found the low left corner just inside the post to give Montreal a 2-0 advantage just 3:12 into the first period.

Marco Sturm halved the deficit, finishing a 2-on-1 with Phil Kessel midway through the first period.

Montreal regained its two-goal lead when Mike Komisarek's blast from the right point caught a piece of Kostitsyn in front of the Bruins' net and deflected into the net. Kostitsyn's 13th tally of the campaign with 3:16 remaining in the first gave Montreal a 3-1 advantage.

"We had chances against Pittsburgh (in a 2-0 loss last Saturday) and they just weren't going in for us," Komisarek said. "It was nice to see the guys get rewarded for their hard work tonight."

"What helped was the time our line (Alexei Kovalev and Tomas Plekanec) has had together," Kostitsyn said. "That is giving us a chance to develop good chemistry."

Maxim Lapierre padded the lead with three seconds remaining in the opening period when his blast from the top of the right faceoff circle deflected in off the left post.

Tim Thomas, who was named to the All-Star team on Tuesday, relieved Auld to open the second period, but fared no better. He allowed two goals on the first five shots he faced.

"You give up eight goals on 24 shots, that explains a lot," Boston coach Claude Julien said. "You're not going to win games giving up those types of goals and there were a lot of breakdowns and lucky bounces off legs."

Bryan Smolinski and Komisarek tallied goals in the first 7:04 of the second to give the Canadiens a 6-1 bulge, ending any hopes of a Boston comeback.

"The last three or four games on the road, we were playing well," Smolinski said. "Tonight it was a great two points."

The Bruins were coming off back-to-back wins against the New York Rangers over the weekend, and gave up the most goals since allowing 10 to the Toronto Maple Leafs on January 4, 2007.

"It's one of those nights where you have to be a little better and more resilient and more concentrated to win hockey games," Julien said. "There's no doubt we'd like to do a lot better against this (Montreal) team, but I don't think it should tarnish our efforts against other teams. There's nothing we can do tonight, except (understanding) the importance of bouncing back next game and we have to start right at this moment."

Alexei Kovalev added a power-play goal - Montreal's first in 11 man advantage opportunities - just over seven minutes into the third period.