NHL Rivals

Bruins and Canadiens (1x12)

: 12, 2014

This week’s episode of NHL Rivals features the rivalry between the Bruins and Canadiens, spanning more than 350 regular-season meetings and 33 playoff series. Highlights include what led to the “Brawl in the Hall”, Montreal’s domination of Boston for much of the 20th century, and how Bruins captain Zdeno Chara became public enemy No. 1 in Montreal. Following are excerpts from Bruins-Canadiens NHL Rivals: Sports Illustrated hockey writer Michael Farber on history Bruins-Canadiens rivalry: “Through the prism of Montreal eyes, there’s a Manichean dialectic at work here – Montreal is good, Boston is evil.” Former Canadien and NBC game analyst Brian Engblom on 1979 semifinal: “That series with the Bruins was just knock ‘em down, drag ‘em out, all the time…there was just venom in every shift. Former Bruin and NBC studio analyst Mike Milbury on 1979 semifinal & rivalry: “There was no ‘pick the other guy up after a fight’…this was ‘spit on ‘em while he was down’…for many years, Boston was the weak sister, and Montreal was the mountain to climb.’” Farber on Zdeno Chara’s hit on Max Pacioretty: “Montrealers view the Chara hit on Pacioretty as the dirtiest thing they’ve seen in decades.” CSNNE.com Bruins Insider Joe Haggerty on Chara hit on Pacioretty: “You almost got that sense from the people in Montreal that they wanted to get out the pitchforks and the torches, and march right to the NHL offices – they wanted justice.”