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Bruins stun Canadiens in overtime of Game 4, tie series – Metro US

Bruins stun Canadiens in overtime of Game 4, tie series

The Bruins acquired 23-year-old wing Matt Fraser in last July’s blockbuster Tyler Seguin trade and the Red Deer, Alberta native didn’t make so much as a blip on the Boston sports radar in the 14 regular season games he played during the 2013-14 season. Boston fans should now become quite familiar with “Matty Ice” now, however.

Fraser was the unlikely hero for the B’s early in overtime Thursday night against the Canadiens as he squirted the puck past a red-hot Carey Price to give the Bruins a 1-0 victory in Game 4 at the Bell Centre.

The best of seven series is now tied, 2-2, with Game 5 at TD Garden Saturday (7 p.m., NBCSN).

Fraser was playing in his first career NHL postseason game and was recalled from AHL Providence just hours before the puck was dropped Thursday.

Fraser’s goal came just 1:19 into the extra session as there was a scramble for the puck in front of the net. Carl Soderberg was the first Bruin to get to it but his attempt was stuffed. That’s when Fraser gave the puck a poke and became the toast of the Hub for the night.

It was an abrupt ending for what was nothing short of a goaltending duel between Price and Tuukka Rask.

The Bruins and Canadiens skated the full 60 minutes of regulation without seeing a lit lamp and the numbers on the stat sheet backed up the unblemished scoreboard, showing just how close this one was. Rask had 33 saves in regulation. Price had 32 stops. The Bruins had 36 faceoff wins in regulation. Montreal had 37. The Bruins had one penalty in regulation. The Habs had two.

Montreal had a power play opportunity with eight minutes to go in the second and Brian Gionta had a breakaway chance but the B’s defense and Rask were too tough.
Meanwhile the Bruins’ battles with the goal posts continued as Jarome Iginla, Soderberg and Reilly Smith each hit nothing but pipe during the game.

The Bruins had three shots on goal in the brief extra session while the Canadiens did not register a shot.

What they'll be saying: The B's big offensive guns were still not heard from. That's the bad news. The good news is that they continue to get big-time performances from young players that most non-diehards have never heard of.

You can also say that the Bruins had a better start in Game 4 than in any other previous game this series. They played the Canadiens even and had several shots - you guessed it - ding off the post.

Follow Metro Boston sports editor Matt Burke on Twitter @BurkMetroBOS