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Boston Bruins

Heinen scores hat trick, Bruins light up Canadiens 9-4

By Matt Dolloff
BOSTON, MASSACHUSETTS - JANUARY 20: Danton Heinen #43 of the Boston Bruins celebrates after scoring against the Montreal Canadiens during the first period at TD Garden on January 20, 2024 in Boston, Massachusetts. (Photo by Maddie Meyer/Getty Images)

It felt like the high-flying ’70s and ’80s on Saturday night at TD Garden.

The Boston Bruins improved to 28-8-9 on the season with a 9-4 win over the Montreal Canadiens, powered by forward Danton Heinen’s first career hat trick. Six other Bruins – Brandon Carlo, Jake DeBrusk, Charlie Coyle, Brad Marchand, and Pavel Zacha – rounded out the offense for the B’s.

Thirteen combined goals marked the highest-scoring Bruins-Canadiens game since the B’s beat the Habs 8-6 on Feb. 9, 2011 in Boston.

WATCH: Bruins-Canadiens Highlights

The Canadiens drew first blood, and from a likely source. Cole Caufield scored for the fifth consecutive game on a rebound, alone in front.

  • Bruins defenseman Brandon Carlo would get the equalizer in his return to the lineup, after missing five games due to a concussion. Carlo crashed the net then finished the feed from Trent Frederic for the tip-in goal to make it 1-1.

  • The Canadiens answered the tip-in with a tip-in. It was Joel Armia and Joshua Roy who scored in basically the same exact way to make it 2-1 Montreal, with Roy making a particularly impressive play on the pass.

  • Late in the second, Jake DeBrusk started a quick burst of scoring to help get the Bruins back on top. DeBrusk crashed the net with possession and stuffed it home for his first goal in four games.

  • Heinen officially joined the scoring parade just 55 seconds after DeBrusk. He was the beneficiary of a bouncing puck off his skate and in, giving the Bruins a most fortuitous 3-2 lead.

  • The scoring did not slow down in the second period. Canadiens defenseman Mike Matheson got it rolling as he blasted one past Bruins goaltender Linus Ullmark, to tie the game 3-3.

  • That was when Heinen grabbed his second of the game. The goal, giving the Bruins the lead once again at 4-3, marked Heinen’s first multi-goal effort of the season and first since Oct. 22, 2022 as a member of the Penguins.

  • Charlie Coyle nabbed what would prove to be the eventual game-winning goal only 49 seconds after Heinen lit the lamp. Coyle chopped at a slick pass from David Pastrnak to the high-danger area, giving Coyle 16 goals on the season, just five shy of his career-best single-season mark of 21.

  • Brendan Gallagher grinded to get his eighth goal of the season on a second and third effort around the net. But unfortunately for the Canadiens, that would be the last time they’d find the back of the net.

  • From there, the Bruins would be the only team to continue to score. What would a game like this be without a David Pastrnak goal? Pastrnak scored his 30th of the season, hitting that mark for the sixth time in seven years, the lone exception being the COVID-shortened 2020-21 season.

  • Brad Marchand wasn’t going to be left out. Marchand buried a centering pass from Coyle to make it 7-4 Bruins, his 20th of the season.

  • Pavel Zacha became the latest Bruins scorer as the beneficiary of some eye-popping possession and a laser of a pass by DeBrusk. Zacha now has 10 goals on the season.

  • Heinen’s hat trick came on a power play. The veteran forward provided the finish at the net-front, giving him his first career hatty.

    Up Next: The Bruins continue their homestand Monday against the Winnipeg Jets at TD Garden.

    Get complete Boston Bruins coverage at 985TheSportsHub.com.

    Matt Dolloff is a writer and podcaster for 985TheSportsHub.com. Any opinions expressed do not necessarily reflect those of 98.5 The Sports Hub, Beasley Media Group, or any subsidiaries. Check out all of Matt’s content.

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