Boston Bruins: Should we expect more offensive fireworks against Montreal?

The Boston Bruins scored eight goals last time against Montreal. How many will they score Sunday night?

The Boston Bruins welcome the Montreal Canadiens to TD Garden for a rare Sunday evening affair. This is the third meeting between the two hated rivals, but the first one in Boston.

Last time the Bruins and Canadiens met, things couldn’t have gone much better for the Black and Gold…especially on the offensive front.

Boston’s offense exploded for eight goals against Montreal. David Pastrnak led the way with a hat trick. The last time a Bruin recorded a hat trick in Montreal was over 30 years ago!

Now, only a few days after that beatdown in Montreal, the Bruins once again have the chance to bury the Canadiens. Should we expect more offensive fireworks?

Tuukka Rask will be in goal for the Bruins, ready to avenge his last start against Montreal. The Canadiens counter with Carey Price.

Price remains one of the top goalies in the world, but the Bruins will be glad to see him Sunday night. Why? Price surrendered five goals on only 11 shots last Tuesday against Boston. This was definitely one of the worst starts of his career.

Price followed that start up with another stinker, this time against New Jersey. He gave up five goals against one of the worst offenses in the league.

As Bruins fans, we’re certainly not used to these bad starts by Price. But, if we take a closer look at his stats this year, maybe we shouldn’t be totally surprised. Currently, Price has a sub-.900 SV% and his GAA is above 3.00.

Meanwhile, the Bruins show up tonight with one of the league’s best offenses. Boston enters the game with 96 goals, which is third in the league. The Bruins also have a top power play unit.

Pastrnak is largely responsible for Boston’s offensive outbursts, as Price witnessed first-hand last week. Pastrnak leads all NHL players with 24 goals, and he has a shot at 50 goals in 50 games.

Pastrnak will be in the lineup Sunday night, as will Brad Marchand and David Krejci. Patrice Bergeron is the only top-six forward who won’t play.

Given Boston’s high-powered offense and Price’s struggles this year, we should see a lot more offense tonight. The Bruins probably won’t score eight goals again, but they still shouldn’t have too much trouble finding the back of the net.