Round One Preview: Montreal-Boston

Anyone in the hockey world has been emphasizing the fact that the Montreal Canadiens have won 11 straight games over the Boston Bruins dating back to last season. Getting sick and tired of that yet? Now that everyone in the hockey world has had that stat drilled into their heads, these two Original Six rivals decide to face-off against one another in, once again, what will be an epic Eastern Conference Quarter-Final match-up. Here's what both teams bring to the table:

1. Montreal (47-25-10, 104 Points, Northeast Division Champions, 1st in East)

Top Scorers:

Alex Kovalev (82 GP, 35 G, 49 A, 84 PTS, +18, 47 PPP)

Tomas Plekanec (81 GP, 29 G, 40 A, 69 PTS, +15, 6 GWG)

Mark Streit (81 GP, 13 G, 49 A, 62 PTS, 7 PPG)

Andrei Markov (82 GP, 16 G, 42 A, 58 PTS, 10 PPG)

Saku Koivu (77 GP, 16 G, 40 A, 56 PTS, 93 PIM)

Goaltender

Carey Price (24-12-3, 2.56 GAA, .920SV%, 3 SO)

All season, Montreal has relied on a fast, high-octane attack through the neutral zone into the offensive zone. Quick first passes out of the defensive zone catches opponents off guard and getting into the offensive zone and setting up has been relatively easy for the Canadiens on most nights. With Alex Kovalev posting 35 goals, the Canadiens finally have a player for the first time since the late 1990s to post 30+ goals. Montreal's explosive offense combined with a surreal powerplay has catapulted them to the top of the East.

Mark Streit and Andrei Markov have supremely benefited from the highly successful powerplay being in the top five point getters in the Montreal line-up. Similarly, Kovalev has also benefited, leading all NHL players with 47 power play points. Montreal has put more confidence in their rookies with the announcement that rookie Greg Stewart will be staying with the big club for the long run. Stewart will follow Sergei Kostitsyn, Ryan O'Byrne, Jaroslav Halak, and Carey Price as a few rookies who have made this season so successful for the Canadiens.

Also sophomore Andrei Kostitsyn and third-year Tomas Plekanec have also been awarded more responsibility and have flourished on the top line with Kovalev. Montreal's defense will finally get a boost as they will welcome back Mike Komisarek possibly in Game 2 or 3 of the series. Montreal's defensive core has survived surprisingly well in Komisarek's absence. Before Komisarek went down, he was leading the NHL in hits and blocked shots. Along with Francis Bouillon's return, the Canadiens blue-line has been injected with life once again. Surprsingly rookie Ryan O'Byrne and Canadiens sophomore Josh Gorges have stepped up their play and are looking to add to their experience with some playoff action.

In goal, Montreal has to look no further than to Calder Trophy candidate Carey Price. Price's season has been up and down, but he has roared into the playoffs since taking the top job after the trade deadline, going 13-4 since February 23rd. Price finished his rookie campaign with 24 wins and a stellar .920 save percentage. With Jaroslave Halak backing him up, look for the goaltenders in Montreal to be stoning teams cold down the stretch.

Montreal Canadiens looking to break out:

Maxim Lapierre (53 GP, 7 G, 11 A, 18 PTS, 60 PIM)

Lapierre has been an impact player this season and has thrived under a checking role. Not known for his scoring, Lapierre may be the dark horse in the Canadiens line-up this post season. TSN.ca reported Lapierre to be a deep sleeper pick in Fantasy Pools all because of a break-out he may be due for this post-season. Playing alongside Guillame Latendresse and possibly Greg Stewart, Lapierre has thrived in his checking role, but look for him to finally put some points on the board this post-season.

8. Boston Bruins (41-29-12, 94 Points, 3rd in Northeast, 8th in East)

Top Scorers:

Marc Savard (74 GP, 15 G, 63 A, 78 PTS, 66 PIM)

Marco Sturm (80 GP, 27 G, 29 A, 56 PTS, 10 PPG)

Zdeno Chara (77 GP, 17 G, 34 A, 51 PTS, 114 PIM)

Chuck Kobasew (73 GP, 22 G, 17 A, 39 PTS, 6 PPG)

Phil Kessel (82 GP, 19 G, 18 A, 37 PTS, 5 PPG)

Goaltender

Tim Thomas (28-19-6, 2.44, .921 SV%, 3 SO)

Boston has been an up-and-down story this season and it could go either way in this first round matchup. With a serious early season injury to star centre Patrice Bergeron, the Bruins had to scrap their way through the Eastern Conference for the majority of the season and made it by the hair on their chins. Now with Bergeron back and reportedly Marc Savard recovering from a back injury he suffered in his last time out against Montreal, the Bruins may be poised to be a challenge for the Canadiens this time around.

The Bruins offensive core likes to grind it out. With players such as Milan Lucic, PJ Axelsson, Chuck Kobasew, and Phil Kessel, the Bruins style of play is to shut the other opponents defense down into a grind-it-out style of offensive hockey. Besides Bergeron, Savard, and the odd time Sturm and Kessel, the Bruins do not have any flashy players who can skate through the neutral zone and put up Alex Ovechkinesque goals. So they continue to grind it out.

Back on the blueline, the Bruins have a very underrated defensive core led by the largest man in the league. Captain Zdeno Chara has been a rock on the defense this year and looks to lead this underachieving and under-experienced Bruins blueline to playoff success. With names such as Mark Stuart, Dennis Wideman, and company, the Bruins seem to have a defensive core that other teams such as Anaheim or Detroit would rate as 4th or 5th defensemen. But in Boston, they play far above that spot and are a major reason the Bruins are in the playoffs now.

Only the New York Islanders and New Jersey Devils scored less goals than the Boston Bruins and only one of them is in the playoffs. Why is that? Because of goaltending. With only 2 players scoring over 20 goals this season, the Bruins have relied heavily on All-Star goalie Tim Thomas. At times, Thomas has cracked under the pressure, yet he has always been resilient and has led the Bruins to the playoffs. Being offensively challenged as the Bruins are, Thomas must step it up in the first round against a team that he has been less than perfect against this season.

Boston Bruin Looking To Break Out:

Glen Metropolit (82 GP, 11 G, 22 A, 33 PTS, 5 GWG)

One of only 3 Bruins to play in all 82 games this season, 2007-08 has been a welcoming season to Metropolit after playing in Europe for the past few seasons. His five game winners are a testament to how well Metropolit plays under pressure, yet no one gives him the credit he deserves. This playoffs, the Bruins are looking to put their lack of goal scoring ability behind them and try to put more up on the board to help out Thomas and look for Metropolit to deliver.

Head-To-Head Season Series: Montreal wins 8-0-0

To be honest, it wasn't pretty. Some blowouts and some, possibly, pity games that the Canadiens almost game to the Bruins. It's like the Canadiens are the bossy older brother of this Original Six rivalry and they keep on taking what they think is there's. But even with the playoffs here and a whole new season unravelling, no one is going to let the Bruins remember the season series yet. Andrei Kostitsyn led the Canadiens with 11 points in seven games against the Bruins, while Marc Savard led the Bruins with 9 points in eight games against the Canadiens this season. With regards to goaltending, Price has been brilliant against Boston, Thomas has not been against Montreal. Simply put. However, anything can happen in the playoffs and with Original Six rivals such as these two, what could aspire this time? Just remember, the Canadiens have the all-time edge...23-7.

Series Prediction: Montreal in 5 games