Trent Frederic scores twice as the Bruins roll past the Canadiens 5-2

Trent Frederic scored two goals, Brad Marchand collected his 500th career assist and the Boston Bruins cruised past longtime rivals the Montreal Canadiens 5-2 on Saturday night.
Facing the Canadiens for the second time in eight days, Boston got some payback for a 3-2 overtime loss in Montreal last Saturday.
Pavel Zacha, Charlie McAvoy and James van Riemsdyk also scored for the Bruins (13-1-2), who have lost just once in regulation this season.
Boston posted NHL records for wins (65) and points (135) last season.
On a night when members of the 1970 and '72 Stanley Cup-winning teams -- led by Hall of Famers Bobby Orr and Johnny Bucyk -- got to finally raise a banner to the rafters, the Bruins jumped out fast in the 759th regular-season meeting between the Original Six clubs.
Montreal lost its fourth straight. Juraj Slafkovsky and Johnathan Kovacevic scored for the Canadiens.
The Bruins are 11-0-1 in their last 12 games against Montreal.
With Boston skating on a two-man, power-play advantage, McAvoy one-timed Marchand's pass into the top left corner of the net from the right circle 7:11 into the opening period.
Marchand picked up his milestone assist on the goal.
Frederic's first goal came with 40 seconds left in the opening period when he redirected Brandon Carlo's shot past goalie Jake Allen.
Zacha's wrister from the slot deflected off the stick of a Canadiens' player in front and trickled past Allen's right skate, making it 3-0 at 5:18 of the second period.
Frederic's second goal came on a wrister with 4:30 left in the second, giving Boston a 4-1 edge.
After they went up 5-1 in the third, the TD Garden fans started chanting and mocking the Canadiens with "Ole! Ole!" -- a chant used when they play well in Montreal.
Bruins star David Pastrnak missed a good amount of the opening period but returned to the bench late in the period.
The Bruins said Milan Lucic is taking an indefinite leave of absence from the team after he was involved in an undisclosed incident Friday night.
In a statement released Saturday morning, the team didn't provide any details about the incident other than to say the organization is aware of the situation and "takes these matters very seriously." The team also said it would work with Lucic's family to provide any support and assistance needed.
Boston Police said it could neither confirm nor deny arresting Lucic early Saturday morning.
UP NEXT
Canadiens: At the Anaheim Ducks on Wednesday, the second of a five-game trip.
Bruins: At the Tampa Bay Lightning on Monday, their first of five straight away from TD Garden.
This report by The Associated Press was first published on Nov. 18, 2023.
CTVNews.ca Top Stories

Alleged Montreal-area 'Chinese police stations' planning to sue RCMP for $2.5 million
Two Chinese community centres in the Montreal area are planning to launch a $2.5 million defamation lawsuit against the RCMP and the Attorney General of Canada after being accused by the police force of hosting 'alleged Chinese police stations.'
Lawyer in Ali murder trial says 13-year-old B.C. victim was not an 'innocent'
Ibrahim Ali's lawyer says the 13-year-old girl he's accused of murdering in a British Columbia park wasn't the “innocent” depicted in a “rose-coloured” portrayal by the Crown at trial.
'I cry all the time': Nova Scotia couple returns after 40 days in Gaza
It has been five days since Palestinian-Canadian couple, Khalil and Nabila Manna, returned from visiting relatives in Gaza, but while the couple planned to visit for a short-period of time, the Israel-Hamas conflict left them stranded for 40 days
With Canada set to reimpose cap on working hours, international students worry about paying for tuition, living expenses
Canada is set to reimpose the cap on the number of hours that international students can work off campus. But with heightened cost-of-living concerns in Canada, many international students say they're not sure how they'll be able to afford their tuition and living expenses if they can't work full-time.
Inmate stabbed Derek Chauvin 22 times, charged with attempted murder, prosecutors say
A federal inmate was charged Friday with attempted murder in the prison stabbing of Derek Chauvin, the former Minneapolis police officer convicted of murdering George Floyd.
'Jumped over their heads': Kangaroo escapes Ontario zoo during overnight stay
The search for a kangaroo that escaped an Ontario zoo will resume on Saturday morning, according to staff and volunteers.
Mild, rainy winter expected as Canada warms at twice the global rate
Winter will be unusually warm and rainy across much of the country this year, according to the latest data from Environment and Climate Change Canada.
Here's how Air Canada's new baggage tracking app works
Air Canada is hoping to give its customers more confidence when travelling with checked luggage through a new baggage tracking feature.
Alleged victims speak out after a Waterloo, Ont. man posed as a CSIS agent and scammed women out of millions
Several women have come forward claiming they were victims of a romance scam by a Waterloo, Ont. man. Police believe he allegedly defrauded dozens of women out of more than $2 million over 15 years.