The recipe for a good rivalry typically does not need another dash of spice.

With both teams coming off hard losses and sitting tied atop the Atlantic Division standings, it could mean a little something extra when the Canadiens host the Bruins in the storied rivals’ first meeting of the season Saturday night.

“I never really look (at the standings). We had a tough one (Thursday), so we want to get back on track and have a really good game,” Bruins coach Marco Sturm said. “That’s the biggest thing for me. The standings, maybe the end of the season, but that’s about it.”

Boston had a seven-game win streak snapped with a 5-3 loss against the Ottawa Senators in the first half of its two-game Canadian road trip. Montreal, meanwhile, was handed its second straight setback in a 7-0 rout against the Dallas Stars on home ice.

The Bruins had chances in Canada’s capital city, clawing back from a 3-1 deficit to tie the game in the third period before allowing two goals in the final 5:43. Thanks in large part to what Sturm described as “fixable mistakes,” the result was Boston’s first loss since Oct. 27, also in Ottawa.

Here’s the preview:

When: Saturday, 7 p.m.

Where: Bell Centre, Montreal

TV, radio: NESN, NHL Network, WBZ-FM 98.5

Line: Montreal -160. O/U: 6.0.

BRUINS

Season record: 11-8-0. vs. spread: 14-5. Over/under: 12-7

Last 10 games: 8-2-0. vs. spread: 8-2. Over/under: 7-3

CANADIENS

Season record: 10-5-2. vs. spread: 6-11. Over/under: 12-3, 2 pushes

Last 10 games: 5-3-2. vs. spread: 4-6. Over/under: 9-1

TEAM STATISTICS

Goals scored: Boston 64, Montreal 58

Goals allowed: Boston 64, Montreal 58

Power play: Boston 25.8%, Montreal 24.5%

Penalty minutes: Boston 204, Montreal 176

Penalty kill: Boston 80.3%, Montreal 79.3%

Faceoffs won: Boston 52.6%, Montreal 51.0%

Stat of the day: David Pastrnak has scored in three straight, with his latest goal tying him for fifth on the franchise’s career list (402).

Notes: Geekie has seven points in his last five games and a team-leading 12 goals this season. … Based on Friday’s practice, it appears that Boston will swap in Quebec native Jonathan Aspirot on defense, with Henri Jokiharju skating as the extra. The 26-year-old Aspirot has played in his first six career NHL games this season. … For Montreal, it has been a tough two-game stretch. On top of scoring just once across consecutive losses since the end of a six-game point streak (4-0-2), goaltenders Sam Montembeault and Jakub Dobes have had a tough week. Montembeault has been struggling (.857 save percentage), so after a 5-1 Tuesday loss to the Los Angeles Kings, Dobes drew the Thursday start and was pulled after allowing five goals on 13 shots in two periods. The Canadiens were shut out for the first time this season despite a 24-19 shot advantage. … To make matters worse, forward Alex Newhook left with a lower-body injury after crashing into the end boards in the second period and underwent surgery Friday to repair a fractured ankle. Newhook, who is tied for second in the Montreal lineup with six goals, trailing only Cole Caufield (12), is expected to miss four months. … The Canadiens also announced Friday that defenseman Kaiden Guhle, who has been out the past 12 games, will be out another 8-10 weeks after undergoing surgery Thursday to repair a partially torn adductor muscle.

Cam Kerry can be reached at cam.kerry@globe.com.