EASTERN CONFERENCE PREVIEW

*--* Montreal Canadiens (36-31-12-3, 8th) vs. Boston Bruins (43-24-6-9, 1st) Schedule: Thu.; Sun.; Tue.; Apr. 25, 27*, 29*, 30* (*-if necessary, best of seven) Season series: Boston, 3-2 Series preview: Montreal goaltender Jose Theodore will have to be on top of his game to hold off Boston’s assortment of skilled players such as Bill Guerin, Joe Thornton, Glen Murray and Sergei Samsonov. In the five regular-season games between the Northeast Division rivals, the Bruins outshot the Canadiens, 182-110. Boston goaltender Byron Dafoe will not get as much work as Theodore, but he will be tested by Montreal’s forwards, headed by Yanic Perreault, Doug Gilmour, Richard Zednik, Joe Juneau and Sergei Berezin. The key to the series may be the play of the Bruin defensemen. If they get caught up in Boston’s offense, the Canadiens may be able to get some easy goals in transition Late-season acquisitions: Mon--left wing Bill Lindsay; Bos--defensemen Jeff Norton and Sean Brown, right wing Marty McInnis Key injuries: None Goaltenders’ postseason records: Mon--Jose Theodore (1-2); Bos-- Byron Dafoe (8-12) Coaches’ postseason records: Mon--Michel Therrien (0-0-0); Bos--Robbie Ftorek (8-15-0) Fast facts: The Bruins and Canadiens will meet for a record 29th time in postseason play with Montreal holding a 21-7 series advantage. Bruin forward Brian Rolston led the NHL with nine short-handed goals. The Canadiens are the only playoff qualifier to have surrendered more goals than they scored MATCHUPS MON BOS Goals 207 (19) 236 (7) Goals against 209 (15) 201 (11) Power play 14.9 (19) 13.7 (26) Penalty killing 86.2 (9) 87.1 (1) Save percentage 920 (2) 902 (14) Goals-against avg 2.51 (15) 2.42 (11) Penalty minutes 974 (29) 1,454 (4) Power-play goals 45 (25) 39 (28) Shorthanded goals 7 (14) 14 (3) Players w/Cup titles 3 3 10+ goal scorers 6 8 Prediction: Boston in six

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