WINTER CLASSIC GAME NOTES: Canadiens Top Bruins

With all eyes in the hockey world on Foxborough for the day, Bruins fans saw a dream experience turn into a nightmare.

With Brad Marchand out on a suspension and David Krejci injured, the Bruins showed little offense during the Winter Classic at Gillette Stadium, falling 4-1 to the Montreal Canadiens. Outshot 14-3 in the first period, Boston’s lukewarm start was a sign of things to come with the Bruins unable to develop any meaningful time in the Montreal defensive zone.

“I think we just had a tough night, when it was -- the unfortunate part is that I think we played one of our probably worst games at the worst time. I think it just seemed like it was one of those nights we couldn’t get anything going the first period. They were all over us. And it just didn’t matter what we tried to do here we just couldn’t get it going,” Bruins coach Claude Julien said.

Montreal’s start was a fast as Boston was slow, taking a 1-0 lead only 76 seconds into the game. David Desharnais made the most of a rebound goal, recovering the initial shot by Dale Weise.

Like the opening period, the Canadiens jumped out to a fast start, doubling their lead on a Paul Byron shot through the five-hole of Tuukka Rask.

Boston would show signs of life in the third period, with Matt Beleskey scoring to cut the lead to two, but goals from Max Pacioretty and Byron in the final period wrapped up the Montreal win.

With the win, Montreal takes possession of first place in the Atlantic Division, while the Bruins remain in third place.

Below are game notes provided by the NHL:

CONDON POSTS WINTER CLASSIC VICTORY IN MEMORABLE HOMECOMING

Canadiens goaltender Mike Condon made 27 saves in winning the 2016 Bridgestone NHL Winter Classic a short distance from his hometown. The
native of Holliston, Mass. -- a 20-minute drive from Gillette Stadium -- is
a fan of the venue host New England Patriots and paid tribute to the team
with the art on the backplate of the mask he wore at today’s game.

GALLAGHER CELEBRATES RETURN TO LINEUP WITH TWO-POINT PERFORMANCE

Canadiens forward Brendan Gallagher recorded a goal and an assist in his return to the lineup after missing 17 games with a hand injury. The Canadiens, who went 5-11-1 in his absence, improved to 17-4-2 this season with the 23-year-old Edmonton native in the lineup.

CANADIENS RECLAIM ATLANTIC DIVISION LEAD WITH WINTER CLASSIC WIN

The Canadiens improved their record to 22-15-3 for 47 points, leapfrogging the idle Panthers (21-12-4, 46 points) and moving into first place in the Atlantic Division standings. Montreal also opened a three-point gap over the Bruins (20-13-4, 44 points).

DESHARNAIS GIVES CANADIENS EARLY LEAD, BREAKS GOAL SLUMP

Montreal forward David Desharnais scored at 1:14 of the first period,
marking the second-fastest goal to start an NHL regular-season outdoor
game. In the 2008 Winter Classic at Buffalo, Pittsburgh’s Colby Armstrong
scored just 21 seconds into the contest. Desharnais recorded his first goal
in 17 games, his last coming in a 4-2 win over the Islanders on Nov. 22.

BYRON POSTS SECOND CAREER MULTI-GOAL GAME

Montreal forward Paul Byron recorded his second career NHL multi-goal game. His other was a two-goal effort for the Calgary Flames against Arizona on Nov. 13, 2014. Byron became the 10th player to tally a multi-goal game in an NHL regular-season outdoor contest and the first to do so since Jonathan Toews (2 goals) in Chicago’s 5-1 win over Pittsburgh in the 2014 Coors Light NHL Stadium Series game at Soldier Field.

ROAD TEAMS CONTINUE DOMINANCE IN OUTDOOR GAMES

Montreal’s win today improved the record of road teams in NHL
regular-season outdoor games to 12-3-1, including a 7-2-0 record since the
start of the 2013-14 season.

CANADIENS ADD TO WIN TOTAL IN NHL’S MOST PROLIFIC RIVALRY

The Bruins and Canadiens have faced off 733 times during the regular
season, the most head-to-head meetings by any two teams in NHL history. The Canadiens improved to 358-265-110 (826 points), while the Bruins fell to 272-349-112 (656 points).

PACKED GILLETTE STADIUM PUSHES OUTDOOR ATTENDANCE PAST 900,000

• 2003 Molson Canadian NHL Heritage Classic, Commonwealth Stadium, Edmonton: 57,167
• 2008 Amp Energy NHL Winter Classic, Ralph Wilson Stadium, Buffalo: 71,217
• 2009 Bridgestone NHL Winter Classic, Wrigley Field, Chicago: 40,818
• 2010 Bridgestone NHL Winter Classic, Fenway Park, Boston: 38,112
• 2011 Bridgestone NHL Winter Classic, Heinz Field, Pittsburgh: 68,111
• 2011 Tim Hortons NHL Heritage Classic, McMahon Stadium, Calgary: 41,022
• 2012 Bridgestone NHL Winter Classic, Citizens Bank Park, Philadelphia: 46,967
• 2014 Bridgestone NHL Winter Classic, Michigan Stadium, Ann Arbor: 105,491
• 2014 Coors Light NHL Stadium Series, Dodger Stadium, Los Angeles: 54,099
• 2014 Coors Light NHL Stadium Series, Yankee Stadium, New York (NYR at NJ): 50,105
• 2014 Coors Light NHL Stadium Series, Yankee Stadium, New York (NYR at NYI): 50,027
• 2014 Coors Light NHL Stadium Series, Soldier Field, Chicago: 62,921
• 2014 Tim Hortons NHL Heritage Classic, BC Place, Vancouver: 54,194
• 2015 Bridgestone NHL Winter Classic, Nationals Park, Washington, D.C.: 42,832
• 2015 Coors Light NHL Stadium Series, Levi’s Stadium, Santa Clara, Calif.: 70,205
• 2016 Bridgestone NHL Winter Classic, Gillette Stadium, Foxborough, Mass.: 67,246
• Total Attendance: 920,534 (per-game average of 57,533)

BRUINS, CANADIENS TAKE THE ICE AMID CLASSIC WINTER WEATHER

The temperature at puck drop was 40.6 degrees Fahrenheit/5 degrees Celsius with light winds and cloudy skies. According to weather.com, the average high temperature in Foxborough, Mass., on Jan. 1 is 37°F/3°C.

QUICK HITS

• Montreal’s Michel Therrien became the first head coach to win two Winter Classic games. Therrien also guided the Penguins to a 2-1 shootout victory over the Sabres in 2008 at Ralph Wilson Stadium in Buffalo. Therrien joins today’s opponent Claude Julien, Bruce Boudreau and Alain Vigneault as head coaches with two wins in NHL outdoor regular-season games.
• Boston’s Matt Beleskey scored a goal in his second consecutive NHL regular-season outdoor game. Beleskey’s goal gave the Ducks a 2-0 lead in what ended as a 3-0 win over the Kings in the 2014 Coors Light NHL Stadium Series game at Dodger Stadium.
• The 177 head-to-head playoff games and 34 postseason series between the Bruins and Canadiens also are the most in NHL history.
• The Canadiens became the second Canada-based team to participate in the Winter Classic; the Maple Leafs defeated the Red Wings 3-2 (SO) in the 2014 edition of the game.
• The 2016 game was the third Winter Classic featuring two Original Six teams. The others: in 2009 (Detroit at Chicago) and 2014 (Toronto at Detroit).
• There have been 16 regular-season outdoor NHL games: Eight Winter Classics, five Stadium Series games and three Heritage Classics.
• Nine outdoor games have been hosted by football venues, seven have been hosted by baseball stadiums.
• The Canadiens skated in their third NHL regular-season outdoor game, following their appearances in the 2003 Molson Canadian NHL Heritage Classic at Commonwealth Stadium in Edmonton (4-3 W) and 2011 Tim Hortons NHL Heritage Classic at McMahon Stadium in Calgary (4-0 L).
• The Bruins became the first repeat host of the NHL Winter Classic. In 2010, they faced the Flyers at Fenway Park (2-1 OT W).

NHL REGULAR-SEASON OUTDOOR GAME TEAM-BY-TEAM RECORDS
GP W L OT Games Played
Anaheim Ducks 1 1 0 0 2014 SS-LA
Boston Bruins 2 1 1 0 2010 WC, 2016 WC
Buffalo Sabres 1 0 0 1 2008 WC
Calgary Flames 1 1 0 0 2011 HC
Chicago Blackhawks 3 1 2 0 2009 WC, 2014 SS-CHI, 2015 WC
Detroit Red Wings 2 1 0 1 2009 WC, 2014 WC
Edmonton Oilers 1 0 1 0 2003 HC
Los Angeles Kings 2 1 1 0 2014 SS-LA, 2015 SS-SJ
Montreal Canadiens 3 2 1 0 2003 HC, 2011 HC, 2016 WC
Ottawa Senators 1 1 0 0 2014 HC
New Jersey Devils 1 0 1 0 2014 SS-NY
New York Islanders 1 0 1 0 2014 SS-NY
New York Rangers 3 3 0 0 2012 WC, 2014 SS-NY (2 GP)
Philadelphia Flyers 2 0 1 1 2010 WC, 2012 WC
Pittsburgh Penguins 3 1 2 0 2008 WC, 2011 WC, 2014 SS-CHI
San Jose Sharks 1 0 1 0 2015 SS-SJ
Toronto Maple Leafs 1 1 0 0 2014 WC
Vancouver Canucks 1 0 1 0 2014 HC
Washington Capitals 2 2 0 0 2011 WC, 2015 WC

WC - Winter Classic
HC - Heritage Classic
SS - Stadium Series