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Canadiens move atop the Atlantic Division with win over rival Bruins

Boston Bruins v Montreal Canadiens

MONTREAL, QC - DECEMBER 5: P.K. Subban #76 of the Montreal Canadiens and Brad Marchand #63 of the Boston Bruins mix it up during the NHL game at the Bell Centre on December 5, 2013 in Montreal, Quebec, Canada. The Canadiens defeated the Bruins 2-1. (Photo by Richard Wolowicz/Getty Images)

Richard Wolowicz

The Montreal Canadiens continue to roll, right on up to the top of the Atlantic Division.

The Canadiens took over first place in the division thanks to a 2-1 win over their long-time rivals, the Boston Bruins. In fact, the Habs jumped past the Bruins in the division standings.

The win improved Montreal’s record to 18-9-3, however the Bruins do have two games in hand on the Habs.

Trailing after the first period, the Canadiens got a pair of second-period goals from Tomas Plekanec and Max Pacioretty, before holding on for the win after that.

Pacioretty now has four goals in his last five games.

But the story of this game wasn’t the score. In the first period, Bruins’ defenseman Johnny Boychuk was taken off the ice on a stretcher after being hit into the corner boards by Pacioretty.

The incident occurred less than five minutes into the game. Pacioretty was assessed a minor penalty for boarding.

“As soon as I saw the stretcher come out I wanted to puke. I felt awful,” said Pacioretty of the Boychuk incident, according to TSN’s John Lu.

According to Joe Haggerty of CSNNE.com, a source indicated that the injury is to the lower back, but isn’t expected to be serious.

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