Bruins Lose Again; Enter Break Losing Four Straight

BOSTON – The Boston Bruins closed out their five-game homestand on Tuesday night by welcoming their longtime rival, the Montreal Canadiens, to town. Unfortunately, it did not go the way that the Bruins wanted; the Canadiens picked up a 6-2 win. The Bruins will enter the three-day holiday break having lost their last four games, all at home.

Instead of Nikita Zadorov taking on Jayden Struble, it was Tanner Jeannot and Josh Anderson. Three seconds was all they needed before the gloves were off. They were not the only ones. Nikita Zadorov joined in on the party just a few minutes later, and he took on and took down Arber Xhekaj.

“It gives the whole building energy, not just us players,” Alex Steeves said post-game. “I think after [Jeannot] fought, some guys on the bench said it was the loudest we’ve heard the building.”

After the fights wrapped up, the game got going. Sammy Blais opened the scoring for the night, getting one by Jeremy Swayman from behind the goal line. The puck bounced off Swayman and into the back of the net.

The Bruins would respond, and it did not take long. A short 77 seconds later, Mason Lohrei would feed Marat Khusnutdinov with a cross-ice pass. Khusnutdinov found the back of the net for his fifth of the season. The game was tied right after the Canadiens took a lead. The effort that Marco Sturm was looking for ahead of the game was apparent during the first period.

The Bruins were not done there. For the third time in the first period, the Bruins’ power play was on the ice. In the waning seconds of the period, Alex Steeves picked a corner and gave the Bruins their only lead of the night. That was Steeves’ eighth goal of the 2025-26 campaign, and he has only skated in 21 games.

The first period ended with the ice tipped in Boston’s favor. The Bruins were outshooting the Canadiens 17-8, and had momentum after two fights won. More importantly, the Bruins held a one-goal lead after the first 20.

However, not even two minutes into the second period, the ice was no longer tipped in Boston’s favor. The puck bounced off Nikita Zadorov’s stick, and Ivan Demidov picked it off and was all alone on a breakaway. He got Swayman to bite and finished it. The game was tied very quickly in the second.

In the final seconds of the second period, Elias Lindholm scored. Or so we thought. The call on the ice was no goal for goalie interference, and the Bruins did not challenge.

“It’s always a group decision,” said Marco Sturm. “It was a non-goal call from the ref, too. So, you always have to think about that one too. They don’t like to overrule things.”

The Bruins’ penalty kill stepped up in the second period. Alex Steeves was called for a high-sticking double minor, giving the Canadiens a four-minute man-advantage. The Bruins killed the penalty, and Swayman stopped three Montreal shots.

The Bruins and Canadiens would skate to the tune of a 2-2 second period. After 40 minutes, the Bruins still led the shot total, 22-20. The Bruins laid the body in the second period, too; Boston added 15 hits in the middle frame to Montreal’s seven.

The third period was when it became increasingly difficult for the Boston Bruins. Seven minutes into the third, Nikita Zadorov’s stick broke. Nick Suzuki picked up the puck, and Swayman made the initial stop. Zac Bolduc barreled towards the loose puck and finished it to give the Canadiens the 3-2 lead.

Boston challenged this goal and lost. Viktor Arvidsson went to the box, and not too long after that, Tanner Jeannot joined him.

It was all Canadiens from this point onwards. While on their first five-on-three of the period, Cole Caufield scored. He walked right in on Swayman and got the puck through his five-hole. The Bruins were in penalty trouble, and Montreal was taking full advantage of it.

The referees then called Hampus Lindholm for a trip. He joined Jeannot, who was still in the box. On their second five-on-three of the period, Nick Suzuki batted the puck out of mid-air and hit it right into the net.

The Canadiens had seven power play opportunities on Tuesday night. They capitalized on two of them. Both of their power play goals came while it was a five-on-three.

“At the end of the day, you gave up two five-on-threes; if we get three five-on-threes in the third period, I think we will win the game,” David Pastrnak said after the game.

Just for good measure, Lane Hutson dished a pass to Juraj Slafkovsky. He connected on the one-timer and gave Montreal a 6-2 lead.

“What I think is, it’s the mental fatigue. I’ve been seeing it in a couple of games, couple of days,” David Pastrnak also said. “Sometimes that stuff happens leading into break. Should’ve kept it under control. It’s on me.”

The Bruins (20-17-1) have now lost four in a row, and they all came at the TD Garden. The team will now have the next three days off to celebrate the holidays. The Bruins will return to action on Saturday night in Buffalo.