Bruins–Canadiens rivalry

Bruins–Canadiens rivalry

Boston Bruins Montréal Canadiens
First meeting	December 8, 1924
Latest meeting	February 12, 2017 (regular season, at TD Garden)
Next meeting	TBD
Statistics
Meetings total	915
All-time series	466–338–103–8 (MTL)
Regular season series	360-267–103–8 (MTL)
Postseason results	106–71 (MTL)
Post-season history
1929 Semi-finals: Bruins won, 3–0 1930 Stanley Cup Finals: Canadiens won, 2–0 1931 Semi-finals: Canadiens won, 3–2 1943 Semi-finals: Bruins won, 4–1 1946 Stanley Cup Finals: Canadiens won, 4–1 1947 Semi-finals: Canadiens won, 4–1 1952 Semi-finals: Canadiens won, 4–3 1953 Stanley Cup Finals: Canadiens won, 4–1 1954 Semi-finals: Canadiens won, 4–0 1955 Semi-finals: Canadiens won, 4–1 1957 Stanley Cup Finals: Canadiens won, 4–1 1958 Stanley Cup Finals: Canadiens won, 4–2 1968 Quarterfinals: Canadiens won, 4–0 1969 Semi-finals: Canadiens won, 4–2 1971 Quarterfinals: Canadiens won, 4–3 1977 Stanley Cup Finals: Canadiens won, 4–0 1978 Stanley Cup Finals: Canadiens won, 4–2 1979 Semi-finals: Canadiens won, 4–3 1984 Adams Division Semi-finals: Canadiens won, 3–0 1985 Adams Division Semi-finals: Canadiens won, 3–2 1986 Adams Division Semi-finals: Canadiens won, 3–0 1987 Adams Division Semi-finals: Canadiens won, 4–0 1988 Adams Division Finals: Bruins won, 4–1 1989 Adams Division Finals: Canadiens won, 4–1 1990 Adams Division Finals: Bruins won, 4–1 1991 Adams Division Finals: Bruins won, 4–3 1992 Adams Division Finals: Bruins won, 4–0 1994 Eastern Conference Quarterfinals: Bruins won, 4–3 2002 Eastern Conference Quarterfinals: Canadiens won, 4–2 2004 Eastern Conference Quarterfinals: Canadiens won, 4–3 2008 Eastern Conference Quarterfinals: Canadiens won, 4–3 2009 Eastern Conference Quarterfinals: Bruins won, 4–0 2011 Eastern Conference Quarterfinals: Bruins won, 4–3 2014 Eastern Conference Semi-finals: Canadiens won, 4–3

The Bruins–Canadiens rivalry is a National Hockey League (NHL) rivalry between the Boston Bruins and Montreal Canadiens. It is considered "one of the greatest rivalries in sports." Retired Bruins forward Bob Sweeney, who played for the Bruins between 1986–87 and 1991–92, once called it among the "top three rivalries in all of sports,... right up there with the... New York Yankees-Boston Red Sox." The two teams have played each other more times, in both regular season play and the Stanley Cup playoffs combined, than any other two teams in NHL history.

Through the conclusion of the 2012–13 regular season, the Canadiens have won 350 of these games, scoring a total of 2,185 goals against the Bruins, with the Bruins winning 264 of them, scoring a total of 1,909 goals against the Canadiens, with 103 other games between the two teams ending in ties. In the playoffs, the two teams have met in 34 series for a total of 177 games, 11 series and some 57–60 more games than two other Original Six teams, the Detroit Red Wings and Toronto Maple Leafs. The two teams have faced each other nine times in Game 7 NHL playoff games, more than any other pair of opponents in NHL history.

On April 8, 1952, Maurice "Rocket" Richard scored one of the most famous goals of all time, described variously as "the greatest in the history of the game" and "most beautiful in the history of the world." As blood dripped down his face after an earlier injury that gave him a concussion, he scored the series-winning goal of the 1952 Stanley Cup Semifinals. Richard had left the game but returned to the bench in the third period, wearing a bandage. Richard, although somewhat dazed, jumped off the bench and drove to the net to score past a surprised Sugar Jim Henry, the Boston Bruins' goaltender. After the goal, showing tremendous respect and sportsmanship, a photograph was taken of Henry shaking hands with the bandaged Richard. It is considered to be one of the most famous images ever to be captured in sports.