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CANADIENS 4, BRUINS 3 [ Game stats ]
The crushing goal came with 14.4 seconds left in regulation when ex-Bruin Sergei Zholtok zigzagged through center ice before teeing up a slapper from the right point that went between the legs of Bruins defenseman Kyle McLaren, off the goal post, and past goaltender Rob Tallas.
''You give him a hundred more pucks on that same play and he's not going to put it through Kyle's legs and off the post and in, there's not a chance,'' said Tallas. ''That puck had eyes the whole way.''
Once again, the Bruins had a two-goal lead and once again, couldn't hang on.
''It feels like we can see the surface of water but someone is holding us under still,'' said Tallas. ''That's the way it feels. You can see the light but you can't get a gasp of air. To go out on a negative note is never fun.''
The game started well enough for Boston as the visitors scored a pair of goals a little more than three minutes apart to take a 2-0 lead heading into the first intermission.
Mike Knuble, who made his Bruins debut against the Canadiens March 11, potted his 12th goal of the season and his third with Boston for the 1-0 lead at 10:06.
Eric Nickulas made it 2-0 at 13:25 with his third tally of the season. Hal Gill relayed a pass up to Joe Thornton, who took off up the left side. Thornton, in the left circle, saw Nickulas on the right side and dished a perfect feed, allowing Nickulas to beat goalie Jeff Hackett at 13:26.
The Canadiens moved to within one midway through the second period on a strike by left wing Benoit Brunet. Zholtok teed up a slapper from the right circle that Tallas stopped, but Brunet, who had been battling in front with Cameron Mann, fired in the rebound at 8:05.
The Canadiens picked up steam and tied it on a freak goal at 16:51. Patrice Brisebois fed a lead pass to Brunet, who was scooting up the right side. Brunet dished to Sheldon Souray at the left point and Souray flung the puck at the net. Tallas said he never saw it.
''He just one-touched that puck, gentle but hard, and I felt it graze my blocker and it was in the net,'' said Tallas.
That set the stage for the Canadiens to take their first lead of the game. With Steve Heinze off for high-sticking, Francis Bouillon was credited with a goal at 5:43 after his shot caromed off defenseman Brandon Smith for a 3-2 advantage.
The Bruins pulled even at 7:57 on a goal by McLaren, set up by Thornton. Both teams pulled out all the stops the rest of the way. With 5:15 remaining, Brian Rolston raced down the slot on Hackett, switched to his backhand, and tried to slip his shot inside the right post. Hackett blocked it with his left skate.
Rolston has only been here since being traded from Colorado March 6 but he's amazed at how wrong things can go.
''These untimely goals are just happening way too often, it's happened at least four times since I've been here. I don't know if it's bad luck or what.''
This story ran on page D01 of the Boston Globe on 3/30/2000.
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ONTREAL - The Bruins moved one giant step closer to playoff elimination last night as the Canadiens rallied for a 4-3 victory over Boston at the Molson Centre.