Julien on first win vs. B's team: “No reason to think I stuck it to them”

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BOSTON -- Montreal Canadiens head coach Claude Julien was always the classy type in Boston, consistently taking the high road in his nearly 10 years at the helm of the Bruins. So it shouldn’t come as a surprise he chose that path after getting his first win back at TD Garden.

The winningest coach in Bruins history watched as his Habs were swept in all four games played against Boston last season. But this time the Canadiens used their speed, defense and goaltending to take a 3-0 win over the B’s at TD Garden on Saturday night. It was perhaps the perfect Julien scenario, where the Canadiens jumped over the sloppy Bruins early for a couple of goals, and then used disciplined defense and stellar goaltending play to keep Boston off the board. 

Last year Julien had to watch his former Bruins players beat him over and over again while he dealt with a Montreal roster that needed an overhaul. This season Julien has got a healthy, effective Carey Price as a massive difference-maker, and a young, speedy group of players that have already jumped out to a surprisingly good start to this season.

Given that promising start in Montreal and the fact it’s almost two years since Julien was fired as head coach of the Bruins, the act of finally getting that first ‘W’ against his former employer didn’t really carry that much significance for him.

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“You know, someone just asked me that. Like most players, I’m going to tell you the same thing. We needed the win and I am happy we won,” said Julien. “I am happy for Carey [Price] and what he accomplished tonight with a shutout.

“I don’t feel like it is that big of a deal [personally]. The win itself is what’s important to me. There’s no reason to feel like I really stuck it to [the Bruins].”

Clearly a proud guy like Julien was going to downplay any significance of finally getting the better of Boston. Instead he was able to use speed, youthful skill and superior goaltending in combination for a victory over the rival Bruins, and in some ways give the B’s a taste of their own medicine.

That’s probably why Julien had a bounce in his step and a smile on his within the familiar environs of the Garden mere minutes after watching the Canadiens play the perfect road game to earn their coach a big two points against his old B’s squad. 

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