The rivalry between the Boston Bruins and the Montreal Canadiens are among, if not the, most intense in the National Hockey League (NHL).
As Round 2 of the 2014 NHL Playoffs kicks off, the Boston Bruins and Montreal Canadiens are scheduled to meet again in the Eastern Conference. This is the 34th time that both teams will be matched in NHL playoffs history. Overall both teams have played against each other 170 times, with the Canadiens winning 102. The Bruins recently won over the Detroit Red Wings on April 26, while the Canadiens swept the Tampa Bay Lightnings, according to an NHL.com report.
Boston and Montreal played 33 series against each other, while the Detroit Red Wings versus the Toronto Maple Leafs had 23 series and played a total of 117 games.
During the 2014 regular season, the Bruins were given the President's Trophy for being the top team in the league. However, in the four matches they had with the Canadiens, three games were lost. Two of these were home games.
According to Bleacher Report, the latest match between both teams featured the Montreal Canadiens starting the series with two straight wins in Boston. The Boston Bruins retaliated with two wins in Montreal. Both teams had 2-1 victories in home games.
Josh Gorges of the Canadiens said, "I've been here a few years and any time we have success in the playoffs, the city really gets behind you."
Mike Babcock, coach of the Detroit Red Wings, commended the Bruins after their recent Round 1 victory. He said that the Bruins are at their best, although an aging team. He said that Boston is likely to win the Stanley Cup since they are a solid team with an overall depth of good players, in a report by The Boston Globe.
The series is expected to captivate hockey fans once more. Round 1 will end on April 30, 2014 at the latest.