Erik Haula Makes History In Bruins-Habs Rivalry

When the Bruins signed Erik Haula in the offseason, not much was thought of, as he was projected to be a bottom-six forward. Fast forward to this point in the season, and Haula has been quite the revelation for Boston this season. Haula was never known to be a steady point producer throughout his career, with his one season in Vegas being an outlier. But this season, the second-line center has settled in nicely as he’s elevated his game playing alongside Taylor Hall and David Pastrnak.

On Sunday night, Haula continued his resurgent season but netting his 16th and 17th goals of the season, which is the second-highest total of his nine-year career behind his career-high 29 goals in 2017-2018. Haula has also tied his career-high in assists with 26, and his 43 points are second-best behind his career-best of 55. What started as a slow start has seen Haula rebound and help the second line find balance as he anchors it for head coach Bruce Cassidy.

Haula’s first goal of the night made heads turn not just because of how it went but what the goal meant. Erik Haula became just the fourth Bruins player to ever score on a penalty shot against the Canadiens, thanks to his rather unusual goal. In almost 25 years, it was the first time that a Boston player netted a penalty shot against the rival Habs.

 Haula joins a list of Bruins players that have scored on a penalty shot against the Canadiens, including Tim Taylor on April 15th of 1998, Leo Boivin on January 4th of 1964, and Woody Dumart on January 14th of 1940.

To add to the specialty of the goal, it also marks the second penalty shot to be scored this season for Boston, as Brad Marchand scored one earlier in the season on October 16ht against the Dallas Stars. Boston is now tied for first in the NHL for penalty shot goals as their two goals match none other than the Montreal Canadiens for the lead.

The Bruins look to keep Haula hot as they march into the playoffs looking to make a deep run. If Haula can continue to produce more than expected, the Bruins have a good chance of making some noise as they seek their first Stanley Cup Championship since 2011.  

Stanley Cup Aspirations Cue’ the Duck Boats Pod

The boys are back after a long break but have plenty to talk about as the playoffs are in full swing. We go series by series, looking at how teams have fared so far and who will come out on top. Thanks for listening! Please rate and review our show on your favorite listening platform. Check out our partner's website at www.insidetherink.com for all your latest hockey news.
  1. Stanley Cup Aspirations
  2. The Final Countdown
  3. Here Come the Playoffs
  4. Home Stretch
  5. Kevy Cooks

Discover more from Inside The Rink

Subscribe to get the latest posts sent to your email.

Kevin Santangelo

Co Host of Cue' the Duck Boats Podcast Writer for Inside the Rink

Leave a Reply

New Jersey Devils Fall To Hurricanes 4-1 In Game One

The New Jersey Devils’ playoff journey commenced in Raleigh against a determined Carolina Hurricanes team, a Game One encounter that ultimately favored the home side with a 4-1 victory on Sunday. Captain Nico Hischier provided a moment of hope for the Devils, scoring their lone goal. However, the Hurricanes responded with a strong offensive showing, […]

Read More
Mark Scheifele skating for the Winnipeg Jets

One Game at a Time: Winnipeg Jets Take Two-Game Lead to St. Louis (04/22/2025)

“It’s all game three now,” Winnipeg Jets head coach Scott Arniel said when asked about team swagger and the job not being done. Arniel is at the helm of a Jets team coming off a historic regular season by clinching the Presidents’ Trophy. The Jets are now halfway up the mountain against the St. Louis […]

Read More
NHL Playoff Preview: Minnesota Wild at Vegas Golden Knights with Line Combinations 4/22/2025

NHL Playoff Preview: Minnesota Wild at Vegas Golden Knights with Line Combinations 4/22/2025

NHL Playoff Preview: Minnesota Wild at Vegas Golden Knights with Line Combinations 4/22/2025

Read More