The Boston Bruins played their first NHL 100 years ago when they defeated the Montreal Maroons on December 1, 1924. The Bruins will celebrate their 100-year anniversary on December 1, 2024, and the Canadiens will be the team they play against on Sunday afternoon.
The Canadiens being the Bruins' opponent on Sunday makes sense, considering the Maroons were their first opponent. It also makes sense because of the significance of their rivalry, which transcends the league.
There are some rivalries that are felt in more than just their own cities: Red Sox-Yankees, Duke-North Carolina, Ohio State-Michigan, Lakers-Celtics. The Canadiens-Bruins rivalry is right up there as one of the best, albeit after losing steam in recent years.
The rivalry may have lost steam, but the Sunday matinee will have a big-game feel and we'll all be brought back to the glory days of the rivalry. There's something different about turning on the television and seeing the historic blue, white, and red jerseys contrasted with the black and gold of the Bruins. It'll be even more special tomorrow as the Bruins throw it back with some vintage-looking uniforms.
A look at the Bruins’ centennial-game sweaters. pic.twitter.com/e4Koh9hzOa
— Conor Ryan (@ConorRyan_93) November 29, 2024
Canadiens Centennial Game
The NHL is repaying the Canadiens for allowing the Bruins to be part of their Centennial celebration in 2009. The Canadiens celebrated their 100th year back then, and they had their own Centennial Game on December 4, 2009, against the Boston Bruins.
The Canadiens won 5-1 that night, with the most memorable moment going to Michael Cammalleri, who scored a hat trick in the win. The Bruins-Canadiens rivalry was at it's peak in 2009, and we can only hope that a rematch in this Centennial Game will get some of those juices flowing.
The league is better when the Bruins and Canadiens are both competing for a playoff spot and having high-intensity, playoff atmosphere matchups with each other in their respective arenas. It has been too long since these teams played in a meaningful game against each other.