Arguably the greatest rivalry in NHL history will pick back up as the Boston Bruins and Montreal Canadiens are set to battle in a second round series. This will be the fourth playoff meeting between these two since 2008 and 34th all-time, and the hate between these two historic franchises will continue to grow throughout the course of this year's edition.
All sorts of great players will be involved in this series, and a terrific goaltending battle will take place between Montreal's Carey Price and Boston's Tuukka Rask.
Here is a game-by-game preview of this series with predictions for each game.
Game One: Canadiens at Bruins, Thursday May 1st, 7:30 PM ET
The favored Bruins will open up the series at home in hopes of winning their fifth consecutive playoff game this year after knocking out the Detroit Red Wings in five games. Montreal has not played in over a week and could come out rusty...then again, Boston's last game was nearly a week ago as well.
The Canadiens could be a little bit shell-shocked after Game One as the goaltending competition will significantly increase. The Habs will have to face one of the best goaltenders in the world in Tuukka Rask after facing a Ben Bishop-less Tampa Bay Lightning team. Boston will come out on top and grab an early series lead. Canadiens 2, Bruins 4.
Game Two: Canadiens at Bruins, Saturday May 3rd, 12:30 PM ET
The two rivals are at it again for a matinee on Saturday afternoon in Beantown, but the Canadiens will end up crashing the party for the home team. Unwilling to go home trailing 2-0 in the series, Price turns in a fantastic performance while the Habs are able to score enough to defeat the Bruins. Canadiens 3, Bruins 1.
Game Three: Bruins at Canadiens, Tuesday May 6th, 7:00 PM ET
The Canadiens return home to Montreal with arguably the rowdiest crowd in hockey behind them at the Bell Centre. Boston, however, is seemingly never thrown off course as the Bruins have not lost a Game Three since the second round in 2009 in Carolina. If you do the math correctly, that means the Bruins have won twelve consecutive Game Threes. Pretty impressive.
This, however, will be the night that the streak ends, as the Canadiens fans will be too much to handle for the Bruins and Montreal will take a 2-1 series lead. Bruins 2, Canadiens 4.
Game Four: Bruins at Canadiens, Thursday May 8th, 7:30 PM ET
The Bell Centre will be rocking again as fans may be able to watch their team take a commanding 3-1 series lead on the hated Bruins. This will be arguably the tightest game of the series as it will significantly change the direction of the series and will take place in one of the NHL's loudest barns.
Patrice Bergeron will have a big night for the Bruins and they will narrowly escape the unfriendly confines of the Bell Centre and head back home with the series deadlocked at two. Bruins 4, Canadiens 3.
Game Five: Canadiens at Bruins, Saturday May 9th, Time TBD
A huge swing game in this series will take place next Saturday, possibly during the afternoon. TD Garden will be loud as the Bruins will look to head back to Montreal with a chance to move on to the third round.
Tuukka Rask will turn in an amazing performance at home and shut out the Canadiens while Boston's offense will come to life and send Beantown into a frenzy Canadiens 0, Bruins 4.
Game Six: Bruins at Canadiens, Monday May 11th, Time TBD
Montreal fans would absolutely hate to their team's season end on home ice against their arch rival, and they will be biting their nails all through this one - including overtime.
That's right - this will be the first game in the series that will require extra time, and the next goal will either eliminate the Canadiens or send this series to a winner-take-all Game Seven.
Brendan Gallagher will be the hero in Montreal as the Habs even up the series. Bruins 2, Canadiens 3 (OT).
Game Seven: Canadiens at Bruins, Wednesday May 13th, Time TBD
Game Seven between two storied Original Six franchises who hate each other like no two other teams in the league. What could be better?
Well, a lot of things could be better for the Montreal Canadiens as they will come up just short in a heartbreaker. Boston marches on to win a fifth consecutive Eastern Conference playoff series and vanquishes its bitter rival. Canadiens 3, Bruins 4.