April: That Means Bruins – Canadiens

“Be careful what you wish for.” We’ve all heard it and, without question, many times it turned out to be sage advice.

In what seems to be annual rite of spring (in the years the Bruins qualify for the playoffs), once again it’s an Original Six postseason showdown between Montreal and Boston.

MYTH: In the modern era of hockey the Canadiens completely own the Bruins in the playoffs.

FACT: Not true.

Sure, in the last 40 years the Habs have punched the Bruins’ ticket to their summer vacation on 14 different occasions (’68, ’69, ’71, ’77, ’78, ’79, ’84, ’85, ’86, ’87, ’89, ’02, ’04 and ’08). However, it almost seems forgotten that the Bruins knocked out Montreal five times (’88, ’90, ’91, ’92 & ’94) during that same span. Defeating the Canadiens in the playoffs is challenging, yes, but far from “Mission Impossible.”

This series will go to the better team, the Bruins. Ken Dryden, “Too Many Men,” Steve Penny and the 2004 collapse will be distant memories for another spring when all is said and done. Boston has the edge in goaltending this time around, Markov is a key injury loss for Montreal and this spring has a trace of Bruins karma in the air. The Bruins may not have enough to win the Stanley Cup, but they certainly have the ability to dispatch Montreal in this series, probably sooner rather than later.

Game 1: Georges Laraque makes his physical presence known but the Bruins don’t get snookered into taking dumb penalties and win the game handily, 4-1.

Game 2: Saturday night in Boston and Causeway Street is loaded with Canadiens fans. Many of them don’t even make it into the TD Garden because the casual Bruins fans want in on this hockey buzz they’ve heard about. It’s a much tighter game this time with the Bruins winning 2-1 in overtime.

Game 3: Price is out and Halak is in for Montreal. The Canadiens backs are against the wall and they respond with a solid effort, beating the Bruins 4-2.

Game 4: Pivotal game of the series. The hockey world expects a Montreal victory but the Bruins rise to the challenge and eek out a 3-2 win.

Game 5: Not as many Montreal fans on Causeway Street this night as it’s “Dead Men Walking” for the Canadiens and they knew it the moment they didn’t win Game 4. The Bruins cruise, 5-2, and the light at then of the tunnel for the Bruins becomes a bit brighter.