Boston, MA (Sports Network) - Phil Kessel had two goals, as the Boston Bruins again scored four times in the third period to take a 5-4 win over Montreal, and force Game 7 in their Eastern Conference quarterfinal.

In Game 5 on Thursday, Boston scored four goals in the third to win 5-1, and stave off elimination. In Game 6, the Bruins did the same to tie the best-of- seven series at three games apiece. The seventh and final game is now set for Monday in Montreal.

Marco Sturm, Milan Lucic, and Vladimir Sobotka all tallied for the Bruins, while Tim Thomas stopped 31-of-35 shots in the win.

Christopher Higgins finished with two goals for top-seeded Montreal, which won all eight regular-season meetings with Boston, but has seen its 3-1 series advantage disappear.

"I've never been so proud of a team my whole life the way we've battled all year long and just hung in there," Thomas said. "We just never give up."

Tomas Plekanec and Francis Bouillon also scored, while captain Saku Koivu -- who had missed the Canadiens' past nine games -- recorded two assists. Carey Price made 31 saves in defeat.

After the teams alternated the first six goals, the Bruins edged ahead for the first time at 15:45 of the third period, 4-3, on Kessel's second goal of the night.

The tally also started a manic stretch to end the game, as just 11 seconds later, Higgins notched his second marker of the contest to draw the Canadiens even.

Koivu, positioned behind the goal line to the right of the net, threaded a pass to the left circle, where Higgins one-timed the puck in for the easy score, as Thomas was well out of position.

However, Boston reclaimed the lead with just 2:37 on the clock. Sturm got the rebound of his initial shot, cradling the puck as he skated across the front of the crease with Price following. However, the Montreal goaltender flinched first, diving to the ice in anticipation, as Sturm waited a moment, and flicked the puck over Price for the 5-4 lead.

The Canadiens pressured in the final minutes, but never got a great chance to tie the game, and the Bruins held on for the win.

"I definitely think you have to believe," Lucic said. "You have to go up there with a positive mindset. We know they're going to come out hard. We know they're a great team and a great group of guys over there. For us to be successful we just have to keep doing what we've been doing, and that's playing hard, playing for each other and playing with no regrets."

After the teams scored just three times in the game's first 40 minutes, they combined for six tallied in the final stanza.

Boston had the first, which evened a back-and-forth game on a transition goal. Sobotka's backhander in the slot squeaked between Price's pads, and kicked off the goaltender's boot into the right corner of the net at 3:13.

Just past the midway point of the stanza, Montreal took a 3-2 lead on a chance deflection. Bouillon, who returned to action from an ankle injury, rifled a shot on net from above the left circle along the boards. The disc was off-target, but it hit off Shane Hnidy's stick and re-directed over Thomas.

However, a little more than two minutes later, the Bruins tied the game again. Aaron Ward ripped a slapshot from the right point and Lucic, stationed in the slot, got his blade on the puck. The disc then found space between Price's right leg and arm to get across the goal line, at 12:13, for a 3-3 tie.

Montreal got on the board first at the 9:44 mark of the first period. Higgins, who lost his balance while battling Boston's defensemen, managed to control the puck enough to flick it past Thomas at the top of the crease.

Boston evened the game just 1:54 into the middle frame on a great move by Kessel. A near Bruins turnover in the neutral zone resulted in Kessel getting possession, skating into the right circle, where he passed between a defender's legs, regained possession and put the puck past Price.

The Canadiens regained the lead at 7:43 of the same period, as Plekanec deked to fool Thomas for the score and a 2-1 edge.