The Boston Bruins really had their work cut out for them this weekend. With a pair of games against division rivals, the Bruins were put to a test unlike any they’ve faced this season, and the two games were polar opposites of each other. Friday’s contest against the Montreal Canadiens, who were celebrating their 100-year anniversary, was a long, tough night for Boston, who lost 5-1. Then, after flying home well after midnight for Saturday’s game against the Toronto Maple Leafs, the Bruins bounced back about as high as possible, crushing Toronto 7-2.

The Canadiens celebrated their centennial in grand fashion on Friday night, making playthings out of the Bruins and their attempts to make a hockey game out of things, but it wasn’t meant to be. Boston played one of its worst games of the year, which was exactly what Montreal wanted as they minced their division – and historic – rival. Only Vladimir Sobotka managed to solve Canadiens netminder Carey Price, but by then the celebrations were already well underway. After the game, the Bruins clubhouse agreed that it was their worst performance of the season, and a quick turnaround was needed. And turnaround they did.

The Bruins bounced back like no other on Saturday night against Toronto. They made a mockery out of second and third-string goalies Vesa Toskala and Joey MacDonald, spreading seven goals across all three periods like a warm blanket. Marc Savard scored a goal per period as well to take home a nice new collection of hats. Phil Kessel’s return to Boston was also about as quiet as the Leafs’ offense, unless you count the boos from the fans whenever he touched the puck. This game clearly demonstrated the mental toughness of the Bruins, whose ability to respond to Friday’s worst game of the season was seen and heard throughout the league.

The next time Boston will face Montreal is in February. Their next action against the Leafs is this Thursday, again on home ice. The only difference between their next game and last game is that Boston will have four days’ rest in between. If they can beat Toronto 7-2 with less than a 24 hour breather, what do they have in store for the Leafs Thursday night? With Toronto’s failure to compete with the Bruins in the last year, it probably won’t be pretty.