Rookie Leads Montreal Past Boston

Rookie right wing Kjell Dahlin scored a pair of goals and added an assist, and Mats Naslund had a goal and three assists as the Montreal Canadiens defeated the Boston Bruins, 6-2, in the only National Hockey League game Monday night.

Dahlin, the standout Swede who leads all rookies with 10 goals, notched his second goal of the game at 1:12 of the second period, providing Montreal with a 3-1 lead.

When Mike McPhee scored on a slapshot from the top of the left faceoff circle 1:28 later, the Canadiens had all the breathing room they required against the Bruins, who were seeking to extend their first-place Adams Division lead. Instead, the fourth-place Canadiens made things even tighter by closing to within four points of Boston.

The Bruins held a 1-0 lead on Mike O’Connell’s goal before Naslund, scoring his 13th, and Dahlin responded for Montreal in the opening period.

Dahlin scored again in the second period along with McPhee to give the Canadiens a 4-1 lead before the Bruins tried to make a comeback.

Ken Linseman cruised unmolested down the left side and converted a pass at 9:07 for the Bruins. But Mario Tremblay, playing his second game since returning from a shoulder injury that sidelined him from the start of the season, scored his first goal just under three minutes later.

Tremblay was sent into the clear at the blue line by Chris Chelios, whose pinpoint pass went between two Boston defensemen. From there, Tremblay moved in on Pat Riggin and faked out the Bruins’ goaltender, making his first start since Boston acquired him from the Washington Capitals last week.

Guy Carbonneau had Montreal’s fifth goal at 17:47.