Canadiens Offer Valiant Effort In Season-Ending Loss to Bruins

The Montreal Canadiens hosted the league-leading Boston Bruins at the Bell Centre in the final game of the 2022-23 season.

Well, the final game for the Canadiens, anyhow, seeing as the Bruins are preparing for a lengthy playoff run.

The Canadiens gave it their best, but they were simply outmatched by a more talented Bruins team that secured a 5-4 win.

Let’s dive right into the final recap of the year.

Perfect Debut

They don’t ask how, they just ask how many.

And in Lucas Condotta’s case, all that matters is that he scored his first NHL goal during his first NHL shift, the perfect debut in a Canadiens uniform.

Obviously, at this point of the season, the ideal result is a Canadiens loss, but there’s no denying it’s heartwarming to see a player achieve their long-term dream and make their mark in the NHL.

Or, at the very least, you have to be a soulless fan to not recognize it, because there’s always more at play than just Draft Lottery odds. Players are fighting for their future, which involves convincing a team to offer them a contract. There’s no way you can besmirch the extra effort when someone’s career is in play.

FIRST NHL GOAL FOR LUCAS CONDOTTA!! pic.twitter.com/BsE1SISwHx

— Scott Matla (@scottmatla) April 13, 2023

Cole Has Company

Much has been made of the fact that the Canadiens could end the season with Cole Caufield as their leading goal scorer, the very same Caufield who underwent season-ending surgery in January.

And rightfully so.

Despite the team being in the midst of its first real rebuild season, it’s rather disheartening when the offence simply does not flow.

That’s not to say Nick Suzuki hasn’t tried.

He’s been one of the few silver linings on the offensive side of things, not just because he’s yet to miss a game, but because he’s produced healthy numbers with a questionable supporting cast.

He can now add co-leading goal-scorer to the list of accomplishments this season, as he tied Caufield by scoring his 26th goal of the season.

Nick Suzuki with the tip and he ties Caufield for the team lead with 26 goals! pic.twitter.com/muHlAi3art

— Scott Matla (@scottmatla) April 14, 2023

Rem, Rem, Rem

Somehow, Jeremy Swayman deciding to initiate an unprompted game of tag during a Canadiens rush was not the most absurd element of the play that led to Michael Pezzetta’s goal.

Rem Pitlick, who did a great job on the forecheck, had the audacity to pass up an open-net goal in favour of giving Pezzetta an easy scoring opportunity.

Although it should be noted Pitlick almost blocked Pezzetta’s shot, which feels right, seeing as the whole play was much closer to something you’d see in a video game than in an NHL rink.

Either way, it worked out, and Pezzetta registered his seventh goal of the year thanks to Pitlick’s unnecessary, yet hilarious generosity.

Swayman obviously chunked this one hard but I want to point out how funny it is that Pitlick passed pic.twitter.com/JESwTGuoxD

— Pete Blackburn (@PeteBlackburn) April 14, 2023

Blueline Barron

To make matters interesting, the Canadiens actually took a 4-3 lead early in the third period thanks to Justin Barron’s fourth goal of the year.

It was yet another shorthanded goal for the Canadiens, who have found their rhythm while opposing teams have had a man advantage in recent games.

The goal came after several odd-man rushes for the Canadiens in previous Bruins powerplays, and it’s only fair to say the Bruins did not enjoy their best performance when it comes to special teams.

The goal marked the final time the Canadiens would find the back of the net this season.

Justin Barron, grips it and rips it on the PK for a shorthanded goal pic.twitter.com/lyZyXMhdkw

— Scott Matla (@scottmatla) April 14, 2023

That’s a wrap on our regular-season coverage, however, the content will keep flowing as we transition toward coverage of the 2023 NHL Entry Draft. A big thank you goes out to the many fantastic Canadiens fans that supported us and are likely to continue supporting us throughout what should be a very interesting summer.

All statistics are 5v5 unless otherwise noted, via NaturalStatTrick.