MONTREAL -- Max Pacioretty scored a game-winning goal, but wasnt exactly in the mood to celebrate. John Terry Blue Jersey . The Montreal winger sent Boston defenceman Johnny Boychuk to hospital with a check into the boards in the first period and then got the go-ahead goal in the second frame of the Canadiens 2-1 victory over the arch-rival Bruins on Thursday night. It was Paciorettys ninth goal in the last nine games, and helped stretch Montreals unbeaten run to nine games (8-0-1). It also put Montreal (18-9-3) into first place in the Atlantic Division, a point ahead of Boston (18-8-2), which has two games in hand. But Pacioretty wasnt smiling. "It wasnt really a strong game for me," the big left-winger said. "I got the life sucked out of me when that injury happened. I just felt awful." Only 4:28 into the teams first meeting of the season, Pacioretty checked Boychuk into the end boards in the Montreal zone. The Bruins defenceman went face first into the top of the boards and fell to the ice. He was on his knees, taking heavy breaths, for several minutes before trainers and medical staff got him onto a stretcher and off the ice. After the game, coach Claude Julien said Boychuk was released from hospital and would travel with the team back to Boston. He had no details about the injury, which Bruins players said appeared to be a back problem. The hit wasnt hard, but it was somewhat from behind. Pacioretty was given two minutes for boarding, which both teams felt was the right call. "I felt terrible about it because I didnt really know what happened," said Pacioretty. "I was just battling for the puck. Ive been in that situation before. I had no intent to injury anybody." The Bruins seemed to agree, as no one rushed in seeking vengeance as often happens when a player is hurt. It quieted the Bell Centre crowd and took some steam out of the play on the ice for the rest of the period, however. "I think they gave me the benefit of the doubt," said Pacioretty. And the Canadiens, outshot 10-3 in the opening frame and down 1-0 on a goal by Gregory Campbell, jumped on Boston in the second with an 18-7 shot advantage and goals from Tomas Plekanec and Pacioretty. The Bruins stormed back in the third, but couldnt beat Carey Price, who made 32 saves for the night. Montreal shot 27 times on Tuukka Rask. Boston had not played since Saturday, while Montreal was coming off a 4-3 shootout win Wednesday night in New Jersey. The Canadiens were in their third game in four nights and their sixth in nine nights. They should have been easy pickings for the Bruins. "The second period was atrocious," Julien said. "It was unacceptable. "There are no excuses about playing with five defencemen. We have to look in the mirror." Boston got the first goal at the 17:35 mark. Andrei Markov cleared the puck to the Boston blue-line, where Dennis Seidenberg kicked it forward, sending Milan Lucic in on a two-on-one break. The big winger slipped a pass to Campbell for a shot into an open side. Plekanec tied it 9:16 into the second when he beat Rask from a tight angle with a medium speed wrist shot. A burst of speed from Brendan Gallagher caused confusion in the Boston defence and Pacioretty backhanded a Raphael Diaz rebound in from the slot at 17:42. Paciorettys last nine goals have all come in five games on home ice. "The first one was off to the side of the net and I gave (Plekanec) too much net to shoot at," said Rask. "The second was a high rebound and he scored. "But if you look at how we played in the second period, you cant be happy with that." Montreal has now beaten Boston four straight times dating to last season. "Im proud of my players," said Montreal coach Michel Therrien, whose team plays again Saturday night at home against Buffalo. "Even if we had a slow start, we adjusted well in the second period. "My players emptied the tank and they were rewarded." The teams meet again Jan. 30 in Boston. Notes: Montreal dressed Douglas Murray and George Parros and sat out Francis Bouillon and Ryan White, who both played Wednesday in New Jersey. Rene Bourque remains sidelined with an upper-body injury. . . Parros got his first shot on goal in seven games as a Canadien. . . Adam McQuaid (lower body) was out for Boston, while Jordan Caron and Kevan Miller were healthy scratches. . . As in other NHL rinks, a moments silence was held for Nelson Mandela. Petr Cech Chelsea Jersey . In this weeks “Leaf Report” podcast, Jonas Siegel and James Mirtle break down some of the key factors in the teams turnaround including Nazem Kadri stepping up to quiet rumours of him being dealt and an increase in the offensive production from Torontos blueline. Fernando Torres Soccer Jersey . Tambellini, who grew up in the Vancouver suburb of Port Moody, B.C., will replace Mason Raymond in the Canucks lineup after the winger suffered a vertebrae compression fracture in Game 6 against the Boston Bruins. DENVER -- The Colorado Avalanche keep losing players and winning games. Tyson Barrie scored in the final minute of regulation, and then scored again in the shootout, leading Colorado to a 3-2 victory over the New York Rangers on Thursday night. Semyon Varlamov had 29 saves for Colorado, which has won five in a row. Varlamov also stopped each of New Yorks attempts in the shootout. Four of Colorados wins during the streak have come in overtime or a shootout. On Tuesday in Columbus, the Avalanche scored twice in the final 11 minutes to send the game to overtime, where they won it on Gabriel Landeskogs goal. "What I like about it is were playing with a lot of confidence right now," coach Patrick Roy said. "The most important thing is, no matter what happens to us we believe in ourselves." The Avalanche maintained a three-point lead on the Chicago Blackhawks for second place in the Central Division. The Blackhawks beat Minnesota in a shootout but still lag behind Colorado with 10 days left in the season. "Thats big for us," said Paul Stasnty, who assisted on Barries tying goal. "For us, home ice is pretty important." Henrik Lundqvist had 35 saves for the Rangers, who gained a point on Philadelphia despite the loss. Derek Stepan and John Moore scored for New York. The Rangers lead the Flyers by four points for second in the Metropolitan Division. Philadelphia lost to Columbus on Thursday. "Its a big point but its still extremely disappointing to lose, especially in this way," Lundqvist said. "We worked really hard to try to get the two points tonight." New York had won seven of eight. Six of those wins were on the road, where the Rangers are 25-14-1 this season. Already playing without leading scorer Matt Duchene, the Avalanche lost forward Cody McLeod to a left ankle injury late in the second period. He had to be helped off the ice. "Hes a tough guy and he wants to play in the next game," Roy said of McLeod. &quoot;For now hes day to day and well see tomorrow. John Terry Yellow Jersey. " Duchene is out with a left knee injury that will keep him out through the end of the regular season and possibly the first round of the playoffs. That hasnt slowed down Colorados late-season push. "Our guys have been resilient," Roy said. "They want to have that home-ice advantage against Chicago." Stepans goal late in the second period gave New York a 2-1 lead. It looked as if it would stand up until the final minute of the game. With Varlamov off for an extra attacker, Barrie sent a low shot from the slot past Lundqvist with 51.4 seconds left. "I was coming in and the puck was kind of shot behind me. I tried to grab it," Barrie said. "I didnt try to shoot it at first, I just tried to corral it and I thought I lost it and it was still right there. I was lucky to shoot it and it went along the ice. I dont think you beat Lundqvist too often like that." He scored the lone goal in the shootout on the first shot. "They had a really strong push in the third," Rangers coach Alain Vigneault said. "A couple of our guys logged a little bit of minutes, this was our fourth game on the trip so Give them credit, they had a real strong push in the third." Moore, who returned to the lineup after missing six games with a concussion, scored his fourth goal of the season at 2:10 of the first period. He beat Varlamov with a snapshot from the point. In the second period, Andre Benoit scored on a 2-on-1 rush off a pass from John Mitchell, tying it at 1. NOTES: Varlamov tied Roy for most home wins by an Avalanche goalie with 24. ... Colorados 49 wins are tied for second most in franchise history. The Avalanche won 52 games in 2000-01. ... Rangers D Ryan McDonagh was scratched with a shoulder injury suffered in Vancouver on Tuesday. Its not expected to be a long-term injury. ... Avalanche F P.A. Parenteau (knee injury) took part in Thursdays morning skate. He has been out since March 10. ' ' '
