Bruins Blast Canadiens, 9-2

The Boston Bruins scored three times on the power play after defenseman Dave Manson of the Montreal Canadiens was ejected for elbowing Per-Johan Axelsson and went on to a 9-2 victory Wednesday night at Montreal.

“That was a cheap shot,” Bruin Coach Pat Burns said of Manson’s smash to Axelsson’s jaw behind the Montreal net, a move that will likely draw the Montreal defenseman a suspension under the NHL crackdown on blows to the head.

“He double-pumped his arm and laid right into him. An elbow like that can break a guy’s jaw. They’re always talking about head injuries. That was pre-planned. They wanted to do it, he wanted to do it and that’s unacceptable.”

Axelsson returned to the game.

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Tomas Holmstrom scored two power-play goals in the Detroit Red Wings’ 7-2 victory over the Florida Panthers at Sunrise, Fla. . . . Arturs Irbe stopped 21 shots in the Carolina Hurricanes’ 2-0 victory over the Chicago Blackhawks at Greensboro, N.C. . . . Stu Barnes scored two of the Pittsburgh Penguins’ five power-play goals in a 5-2 victory over the Calgary Flames at Calgary. . . . Boris Mironov and Bill Guerin each scored two goals as the Edmonton Oilers defeated the Washington Capitals, 8-2, at Edmonton. . . . The Phoenix Coyotes scored three goals in the third period of a 4-2 victory over the San Jose Sharks at San Jose.