MTL@BOS: What you need to know

BOSTON – The Canadiens look to spoil the Boston Bruins’ home opener and secure their first 2-0-0 start to a season since 2015-16 when they take to the ice for their second game of a back-to-back at TD Garden on Thursday.

Here’s what you need to know heading into the game:

TEAM COMPARISONS

The Habs opened the new campaign with a nervy, 1-0 shutout win over the Toronto Maple Leafs at the Bell Centre on Wednesday. Samuel Montembeault was perfect in the win, stopping all 48 shots he faced (an NHL record for most saves in a season-opening shutout), and Cole Caufield netted his first goal of the season en route to victory.

Boston launched their season with a rematch of last year’s Atlantic Division Finals against the Florida Panthers. Like last year’s series, it was the Stanley Cup Champions escaping victorious, claiming a 6-4 win over the Bruins. Pavel Zacha, Charlie McAvoy, Trent Frederic and David Pastrňák lit the lamp for the B’s.

New to the Bruins this season are Elias Lindholm and Nikita Zadorov—both who came over from the Vancouver Canucks in the offseason. The pair, who also played for the Calgary Flames in 2023-24, posted 44 and 20 points in 75 games, respectively.

BY THE NUMBERS: HABS-BRUINS

Caufield’s 150^th career point on Wednesday was also the American forward’s 16^th career game-winning goal. Only four other players have recorded more goals of that sort before the age of 24 in Canadiens history.

Brad Marchand is one goal shy of tying Rick Middleton for the fourth-most in Bruins’ franchise history. The B’s captain hit the back of the net 29 times in 82 appearances last year and has totaled 17 goals in 54 games against the Canadiens over 15 NHL seasons.

Here’s how the Canadiens and Bruins match up by the numbers:

LINEUP NEWS

Head coach Martin St-Louis confirmed Thursday that 21-year-old Finnish forward Oliver Kapanen will make his NHL debut at TD Garden. Emil Heineman will skip his turn. St-Louis also announced that Cayden Primeau will make his season debut against the Bruins. The product of Northeastern University is set for his first career NHL start in Boston after playing two seasons of college hockey in the area.

Bruins’ head coach Jim Montgomery was without Jeremy Swayman’s services against the Panthers. Swayman was held out of any preseason action for contractual reasons, but did agree to an eight-year deal with Boston on Monday. Time will tell whether the 25-year-old gets the call tonight against the Habs.