Canadiens loss to Bruins presents wake-up call after exciting opening night

From the moment the Montreal Canadiens' schedule was released this summer, we knew the opening two nights wouldn't be easy. The Canadiens had to start the year with an emotional home opener against the Toronto Maple Leafs, then play in the Boston Bruins home opener 24 hours later. It wouldn't have been surprising if the Canadiens found a way to go 0-2 to start the season. However, they had an exciting 1-0 win over the Leafs.

The Bruins had an embarrassing loss to the Florida Panthers in their opening game. The Canadiens should have known they'd get the Bruins' best effort in this game, but for some reason, they didn't seem ready to do the little things it takes to win. The Bruins don't have a deep offensive lineup, but they have a big, physical blueline and never take a shift off.

The Canadiens were outworked from start to finish in this game. They scored four goals in the 6-4 loss, led by two assists from Lane Hutson. It was another promising game from the young blueliner, and it's only a matter of time before he starts getting more opportunities. If more players, like Mike Matheson and Justin Barron, played with half the effort as Hutson, tonight could have been a different story.

The result on Thursday night reminded some of the Canadiens' young players that they can't take a night off. They felt good about themselves after the Maple Leafs victory and weren't ready to put in the effort it takes to win nightly. Martin St. Louis won't be happy with the trip to Boston, but it does create a good lesson for the team.

The Canadiens must shake this game off and regroup, as a split was a good result out of these two games. It's time for them to look in the mirror and realize what it takes to win and be a contender in the NHL. The Bruins are a good team to model themselves after, and they taught the Canadiens a lesson in this game.