In the Habs room: limping Jeff Petry is a liability against the Bruins

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The Canadiens made a valiant effort during two stints in Boston on Sunday, but the reality is that they didn’t get anywhere near the level they needed to beat the Bruins.

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Goalkeeper Samuel Montembeault withstood a barrage of 20 shots in the second period to give Montreal a 2-1 lead after 40 minutes, but the Bruins scored three goals in the first half of the third period for a 5-2 win. at TD Garden. .

The second period has been a problem for the Canadiens all season, and while each team scored a goal in the second period on Sunday, the momentum was clearly on Boston’s side going into the third period.

Defender Jeff Petry said Montreal struggled to deal with the lengthy turnaround in the middle period.

“In that second period we turned the records and they were able to launch two or three lines against the same line we had”; Petry said. “We’ve talked about it and we really have to clean up that part of the game.”

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Petry is not having a good year and that could be because he is playing due to injuries, and is being asked to play a bigger role in the absence of Shea Weber and his teammate from last season, Joel Edmundson.

It was a factor as the Bruins scored twice to lead 3-2.

He took a penalty for holding David Pastrnak early in the third period and, 49 seconds later, defender Charlie McAvoy tied the game with his second goal of the game.

The Bruins went ahead at 5:58 when Petry tried to direct a rebound into the corner and hit Charlie Coyle’s visor.

“That is something they teach us when the rebound comes out, not to throw it in the middle, but to throw it into the corner. But it hit him on the visor and it bounced, “Petry said.

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Montembeault, who stopped 36 of 40 shots, was playing because Jake Allen suffered a concussion Saturday in a 3-2 overtime loss at Detroit. Mike Hoffman also suffered an injury in that game and they joined a roster that includes Edmundson, Jonathan Drouin, Cédric Paquette, Mathieu Perreault, Paul Byron and Carey Price.

“There are a lot of injuries piling up (and) it’s frustrating,” Petry said. “But the 20 guys that are in the lineup every night have to compete, show up and play whether it’s our full roster or not. It is our responsibility to find it within ourselves. “

One player who has taken the opportunity to play is Michael Pezzetta. He had an assist Saturday for his first NHL point and scored his first goal Sunday.

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“I’m just trying to build my game,” Pezzetta said. “I think I belong to this league. I know I can help this team and it’s a matter of doing it every night. “

On Saturday, the Canadiens saved a point when they tied Detroit in the third period before losing in overtime. It was a costly loss because Allen left the game late in the first period after a collision on the fold with Dylan Larkin of the Red Wings. Allen was diagnosed with a concussion and will be unconscious indefinitely.

Montembeault was beaten on the first two shots he faced in Allen’s relief, but he calmed down and stopped 22 shots before Larkin scored his second goal of the game in overtime. Ryan Poehling opened the scoring for Montreal and Chris Wideman tied the game in the third period. Artturi Lehkonen was sprawled on the ice along the end boards when he set Wideman up with a blind pass.

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