Behind the Boston Bruins vs Canadiens Rivalry

by Will Brown, March 20, 2025

For more than a century, the Boston Bruins and Montreal Canadiens have had one of the fiercest rivalries in ice hockey history. As two of the NHL’s Orginal Six teams, there have been hundreds of Boston Bruins vs Canadiens showdowns, with the bitterness between the players and its fans handed down from generation to generation. In this guide, we’ve looked at the history of the rivalry and how it is set to play out in the future.

Intro to the Bruins vs Canadiens Rivalry

The intensity of the Canadiens vs Bruins rivalry was not created overnight, with a string of events over the years fueling the bitterness between the teams. To begin this guide, we’ve provided a comprehensive overview of the rivalry’s history, beginning with their first match in 1924.

We’ve then provided a timeline of some memorable moments between the teams that have been key in keeping the rivalry alive. To round out this guide, we’ve explored some of the best moments for Boston and Montreal over their arch nemeses, as well as the future of the rivalry.

• The History of the Rivalry
• Timeline of Memorable Events
• Boston’s Best Moments
• Montreal’s Best Moments
• The Future of the Rivalry

Bruins vs Canadiens History of the Rivalry

The rivalry between the Boston Bruins and the Montreal Canadiens can be traced back to the first meeting between the two in December 1924. As the first American team to play in the NHL, the Bruins defeated Montreal 2-1 in front of a crowd in Boston.

For the first two decades of the teams’ showdowns, the rivalry wasn’t particularly intense. However, this didn’t change until the Original Six era in the 1950s. A pivotal moment came during the Richard Riot of 1955 after Montreal’s Maurie “Rocket” Richard was suspended for the remainder of a season after a violent incident with Hal Laycoe, a Bruins player.

As the longest-ever suspension in the league’s history, Montreal’s fans were enraged. Richard was one of the league’s best players, and his suspension was seen to jeopardize the second-placed Canadiens shot at the Stanley Cup. This led to a riot in Montreal that saw hundreds of stores looted and significant damage caused to the Montreal Forum.

By this stage, the Bruins vs Canadiens rival was set. This continued to boil, reaching one of its peaks in the 1970s. Throughout the decade, both teams were at the height of their success, and they regularly met in the playoffs. This came to an intense pinnacle in 1979 when Montreal managed to destroy the Bruins’ shot at a Stanley Cup Final in overtime.

The rivalry continued throughout the 1980s and 1990s, with the Canadiens managing to maintain their edge over the Bruins in their many postseason showdowns. In the 20th century, the rivalry has spawned several other notable incidents, including the Bruins’ Zdeno Chara’s violent hit against Montreal’s Max Pacioretty in 2011.

The fortunes of both teams have pivoted back and forth over the past 15 years, with the Canadiens making it to their first Stanely Cup FInals since 1993 in 2021 and the Bruins posting a record-breaking season in 2022-2023. As the Boston Bruins vs Canadiens history shows, the rivalry remains heated and unpredictable.

Timeline of Memorable Events

The Boston Bruins vs Canadiens rivalry has produced plenty of memorable events over its long history. At its core, the rivalry can be attributed to the vastly different cultures in English-speaking major sports capital of Boston and French-speaking Montreal. The teams have faced each other more than any other in North American sports, producing some of these moments in what is known as the “Ultimate Hockey Feud”:

• December 2, 1924 – The teams meet for the first time as NHL franchises in Montreal. Boston wins 2-1.
• March 13, 1955 – Maurice “Rocket” Richard is suspended for a violent altercation with a Bruins player, leading to a fan riot in Montreal.
• May 10, 1979 – In Game 7 of the semifinals, a too-many-men-on-the-ice penalty against the Bruins allows Montreal to tie the game before Montreal wins in overtime.
• May 14, 1994 – The Bruins eliminate the Canadiens in the playoffs, scoring their first playoff series victory against Montreal in 50 years.
• March 24, 2011 – A controversial hit by Bruins’ Zdeno Chara on Canadiens’ Max Pacioretty intensifies the modern rivalry and leads to police investigations.
• May 14, 2014 – The Canadiens win a thrilling seven-game series against the Bruins.
• February 7, 2017 – Bruins’ head coach Claude Julien is fired, only to be hired by Montreal the following week.
• December 2, 2024 – The Bruins and Canadiens compete in a 100th anniversary game since their first meeting. The Bruins win 6-3.

As of the end of the 2023–24 season, the two teams have competed against each other 927 times. Of these, the Canadiens have won 470 games against the Bruins’ 353. There have been 103 ties. In the playoffs, the teams have met in 177 games over 34 series, the most of any NHL pair-up.

Boston Bruins Memorable Moments

There have been several memorable moments for Boston throughout the Bruins vs Canadiens rivalry. One of the most celebrated came in 1994 when the Bruins finally managed to break the curse of their playoff losses against Montreal. This came in the first round, with Adam Oates, Cam Neely, and Ray Bourque leading the team to victory.

Another memorable victory came in 2011 when the Bruins were on track toward their first Stanley Cup since 1972. The Bruins faced their nemesis in the Quarter Finals best-of-seven series, losing the first two rounds. By game 7, the teams were neck and neck with three wins each. Nathan Horton’s overtime goal in Game 7 led the team to their eventual Stanley Cup glory.

The team continues to attract plenty of bettor attention at Massachusetts online sportsbooks, especially when they’re paired against the Canadiens. Often, rivalries between two players are closely watched, such as Boston’s Milan Lucic’s regular confrontations with Montreal defenseman Alexei Emelin throughout the 2010s.

Montreal Canadiens Memorable Moments

At the beginning of what is seen as the height of the Boston vs Montreal rivalry, the Bruins were shocked by the defense of Montreal’s rookie goaltender Ken Dryden. Despite only playing six regular season games, Dryden’s playoff performances led Montreal to a seven-game upset of the defending champions.

One of the most memorable moments for Montreal and a key moment in Canadiens vs Bruins history came during Game 7 of the 1979 semifinals. When Boston, who seemed likely to progress, was penalized for a too-many-men infringement, Montreal’s Guy Lafleur took advantage. He scored a slap shot that silenced the crowd at Boston Garden. Later Montreal’s Yvon Lambert scored in overtime, humiliating the Bruins.

Modern bettors at the best NHL betting sites will likely remember the more recent story of Montreal’s defenseman P.K. Subban, whose style, offense, and fearlessness exemplified the team’s flamboyant culture. His double-overtime goal in Game 1 of the 2014 second-round series and subsequent celebration made him beloved by Canadiens fans and despised in Boston.

The Future of the Rivalry

As it stands, both the Bruins and Canadiens are in transitory periods. As it currently stands, the teams are trailing at the bottom of the Atlantic Division’s rankings. However, the Boston Bruins have won 17 of their last 20 games against the Canadiens, indicating that the fortunes of Montreal are down.

While the showdowns between both teams continue to be an exciting and nostalgic affair, admittedly, the rivalry has lost some steam over the past few years. It’s been a while since the games have resulted in fierce confrontations on the ice as Montreal continues to focus on developing its young talent.

However, as we’ve seen, the nature of the rivalry is cyclical, with tensions flaring up and cooling down many times over the previous decades. With four regular-season pair-ups per year, there are plenty of opportunities for the teams to restore the drama of their earlier clashes.