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By the numbers: Canadiens vs. Bruins

For just the second time this season, the Montreal Canadiens and Boston Bruins will renew their storied rivalry on Thursday night. 

While the NHL has gone to great lengths to create a semblance of antagonism across the league through divisional realignment and weekly featured matchups, these two franchises have been going toe-to-toe for decades, providing no shortage of drama along the way.

Here's what you need to know heading into Thursday's tilt in Boston.

722

The number of regular season games played between the two teams all-time. Montreal has the advantage with 349 wins over Boston's 270, with 103 ties also on the record.

23 - 6 

Stanley Cups won by Montreal compared to how many times the Bruins have hoisted the trophy.

33

The playoffs are where rivalries traditionally tend to heat up, and these two teams have met 33 times in the post-season. The Canadiens have 24 series wins to their credit. Their regular season and playoff games combined (892) are the most between two teams in NHL history.

7

The length of their last playoff series, decided on this double overtime goal by Nathan Horton.

This was the eighth time the two teams have gone to Game 7, the most of any other pair of opponents in league history.

2,500

Dollars coughed up by former Bruins defenseman Andrew Ference for an obscene gesture directed to the fans in Montreal after scoring a goal in Game 4 of that series.

Ference later owned up to the act after first describing it as a "glove malfunction."

"In round one of the playoffs between two of the fiercest rivals in our sport, I scored a tying goal in the enemy's building," he explained at the time, via CBS Sports. "Only to have my fist pump turn into a sign language that crosses all borders."

2005

The year both teams' No. 1 goalies were drafted. Carey Price was selected fifth overall by Montreal, while Tuukka Rask was drafted 22nd by the Toronto Maple Leafs and dealt to the Bruins at the draft a year later. Here is a look at how their career numbers stack up.

Carey Price Stat Tuukka Rask
168-133-43 Record 90-57-19
0.916 Save Percentage 0.927
2.55 GAA 2.13
22 Shutouts 21

Rask has posted a career record of 2-9-2 with a .903 save percentage against Montreal, while Price is 17-8-3 with a .919 save percentage in his career against the Bruins.

14

According to Bruins Daily, the number of games decided by one goal in the past 16 meetings, including the playoff series in 2011. 

Finally, heading into Thursday night's game, 10 points separate the two teams in the standings, with the Bruins on top of the Atlantic Division with 71 points. 

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