The Montreal Canadiens have had their way with the Boston Bruins in recent years, but won't be facing the same inept squad when the teams off at the Bell Centre Monday night (7:30 p.m. ET).

The Canadiens (3-2-2) have defeated Boston (5-2-0) in 12 of the last 16 games, handling the Bruins in most facets of the game.

Montreal forward Bryan Smolinski, left, scored a goal in his 999th career NHL game Saturday night against the Buffalo Sabres.
(Paul Chiasson/Canadian Press)

But the Bruins are off to their best start in recent memory, winning four straight games by using a stingy defence and some solid goaltending.

This combination will be tough to overcome for the Canadiens, who rank 18th in the NHL with 22 goals. Still, the team has the league's second best power-play unit, scoring at a 26.5 per cent rate.

Montreal also hopes to build on the momentum of Saturday night's 4-2 home victory over the Buffalo Sabres, which snapped a three-game losing streak.

Defenceman Roman Hamrlik, the team's big free-agent signing in the off-season, broke out with a goal and two assists. The veteran blue-liner was credited with the game-winner when his shot off the boards in the Buffalo end bounced off defenceman Toni Lydman.

Kyle Chipchura netted his first career NHL goal and Bryan Smolinksi, competing in his 999th regular-season contest, chipped in with another tally. The four-goal output was the best offensive performance of the year for the Canadiens, who scored only five goals during the three-game losing streak.

"To be honest, I didn't know what to do with myself, and everything happened so fast," Chipchura told the team's site of his first goal. "It just feels good to get it out of the way and help the guys pick up the win."

Goaltender Cristobal Huet stopped 25 shots against the Sabres and sports an impressive 2.14 goals-against average in five starts. The Montreal netminder also has been a source of aggravation for the Bruins, posting a 5-2 record in eight career starts with a 2.04 GAA.

Despite their woes against Montreal, the Bruins come into the game as one of the hottest teams in the league.

Manny Fernandez, a free-agent signing, powered Boston to a 1-0 shootout win on Saturday over the N.Y Rangers by making 26 saves to earn his 14th career shutout.

'Good for his confidence'

"We definitely know that he's capable of that kind of game, and it's certainly good for his confidence," coach Claude Julien told the team's website.

Regular starter Tim Thomas has been the best line of defence for the Bruins, surrendering only two goals on 63 shots during the team's previous two games. Thomas also has a 1.26 GAA in four contests this season.

As a team, the Bruins have held opposing teams to two or fewer goals in all but two of their seven games, an average of just 2.14 per contest.

Part of Boston's success this season has been the play of the penalty-killing unit, which has allowed only four power-play goals in 28 chances.

"Right now we are playing pretty good D," said forward Phil Kessel. "You have to play day in and day out. Hopefully we can get some more wins."

With files from the Associated Press