Tag: Boston Bruins

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Jim Montgomery hints at 3 major changes for Game 7.

The Boston Bruins are in an unexpected position heading into Sunday’s Game 7, facing the threat of an early elimination in the Stanley Cup playoffs after the most dominant regular season in National Hockey League history and after taking a commanding 3-1 lead over the Florida Panthers in this series.

It’s hard to believe but it feels like all of the pressure is now on the Bruins to close out the deal, and it seems as though head coach Jim Montgomery may be making the changes he feels necessary to deal with the toughest hurdle his team has faced all season.

Although Montgomery would not disclose any changes he made to his lineup on Sunday, there are some things we can infer based on how the Bruins behaved during their morning skate. The biggest of these changes appears to be a much anticipated change in goal, with backup goaltender Jeremy Swayman being the first off the ice during the skate on Saturday. This is usually an indication of who the starter will be, although things could change at a moments notice during the playoffs.

Montgomery also appeared to swap out a pair of skaters on Sunday, with Nick Foligno and Conor Clifton remaining on the ice late into practice, an indication that they will both be scratched tonight. Bruins insider Fluto Shinzawa of the Boston Globe believes that this means we will see Trent Frederic and Matt Grzelcyk step into the lineup tonight to replace those two aforementioned Bruins.

A first round exit would be incredibly disappointing after the season the Bruins had, and it will be very interesting to see how they react to that pressure tonight.

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Jim Montgomery hints at major change for Game 7

NBC Sports

For the second straight game, the Boston Bruins have been unable to punch their ticket to Round 2 of the Stanley Cup Playoffs. Their opponent in the Florida Panthers absolutely refuse to lay down, and have forced what just about everyone prior to the beginning of the series never thought was possible – a Game 7.

It was gritty forward Matthew Tkachuk who vowed after his overtime game winning goal in Game 5 at TD Garden that he and his teammates would be back for a winner-take-all Game 7, and his prediction has come to pass. Tkachuk scored two more goals and added an assist in what was an absolutely wild affair tonight at FLA Live Arena, a 7-5 final score to ensure that this series will be going the distance. 

The Bruins, who won an NHL-record 65 games during the regular season, looked rattled multiple times over the course of the game. Goaltender Linus Ullmark followed up his brutal giveaway in overtime of the previous game with another sorely subpar performance between the pipes, allowing six goals. 

Head coach Jim Montgomery admitted after the game that he considered pulling Ullmark in favor of backup Jeremy Swayman, and also hinted that it could be the latter who gets the nod in net on Sunday.

A Vezina Trophy candidate for his spectacular record during the regular season, Ullmark hasn’t been able to replicate the performance that saw him rack up 40 wins and a goals against average below that of two. 

“I felt good throughout the game…unfortunately, I couldn’t make that extra save today,” Ullmark explained in the dressing room after. “We’ve been trying to have the mindset throughout the season of closing the series, and we specifically did it during the season. We have one more opportunity on Sunday to get it.” 

The start time for Game 7 at TD Garden has yet to be announced. Who will get the start in goal for Boston? Who should it be? 

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David Pastrnak scores the FILTHIEST goal of the 2023 postseason

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With moves like this, it’s easy to see why Boston Bruins forward David Pastrnak scored 61 goals during the 2022-23 NHL regular season. 

Pastrnak tied tonight’s game against the Florida Panthers with an absolutely insane between the legs move that beat goaltender Sergei Bobrovsky on the short side: 

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Jim Montgomery addresses the goaltending controversy in Boston.

In what has been a stunning turn of events for many, the Bruins are now staring down the possibility of being eliminated in the first round of the Stanley Cup playoffs after a dominant regular season. Making matters even worse, the Bruins are doing so after taking a commanding 3-1 lead in their opening round series over the Florida Panthers and there is now a serious controversy when it comes to the Bruins lineup.

Many have questioned the performance of Bruins starting goaltender Linus Ullmark in these playoffs, a performance that has been uncharacteristically shaky after Ullmark had such a strong campaign in the regular season. In fact many believe that Bruins head coach Jim Montgomery has erred in his decision to keep going back to Ullmark, especially after how Game 6 came to an end.

On Saturday, Bruins head coach Jim Montgomery was asked about his goaltending situation and was questioned about who would get the start in Game 7, but the Bruins bench boss refused to give a straight answer. Montgomery did add that he had “no regrets” about his decision to go with Ullmark for 6 straight games to start this series, something that I find very hard to believe at this point in the series.

When pressed on the issue of a potential swap by Bruins reporter Jimmy Murphy, Montgomery admitted that if he did make a change in goal for Game 7 that the blame for such a decision would fall on the shoulders of Ullmark himself.

“Linus hasn’t stopped enough pucks,” admitted Montgomery. “Plain and simple.”

A big part of the reason Montgomery’s decision to stick with Ullmark has been questioned is due to the fact that the Bruins have a solid backup in Jeremy Swayman. Swayman had a strong regular season with a 2.27 goals against average and a .920 save percentage, and it sounds like there is at least a chance he may get to showcase his abilities in the Stanley Cup playoffs.

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Critical update released on David Krejci

MassLive

The Boston Bruins have been without the services of veteran center David Krejci for their last three games in their Round 1 Stanley Cup Playoffs series against the Florida Panthers, which has now lasted much longer than just about anyone could have guessed.

The two teams are headed back to FLA Live Arena in Sunrise, FLA after the Panthers were able to stun the Bruins on their home ice for the second time in the series, this time in the form of an overtime victory following a brutal turnover behind the net by goaltender Linus Ullmark. 

Krejci, who has not suited up since Game 2 last week thanks to an upper body injury, will be with the team as they travel back down south – though whether or not he actually suits up in tomorrow night’s Game 6 remains in question, according to head coach Jim Montgomery.

“Krejci is traveling with us, and has a couple more boxes to check before we can say he’s a player,” Montgomery explained. 

The Bruins did get captain Patrice Bergeron back for Game 5; he had previously missed the first four games of the series.

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Matthew Tkachuk issues bold declaration after Game 5 win

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The Florida Panthers absolutely stunned the Boston Bruins last night at TD Garden, winning a back and forth affair thanks to an ill-timed gaffe from goaltender Linus Ullmark in overtime that opened the door for scrappy and offensive minded forward Matthew Tkachuk to play the role of hero. 

His goal at 6:05 of overtime ensured that the series will head back to Florida for a Game 6. And while the Bruins are still the favored team after having won 65 games during the regular season, they’re finding out the hard way what the 62-win Tampa Bay Lightning in 2019 found out against the Columbus Blue Jackets that there’s absolutely nothing guaranteed in the postseason based on regular season accolades.

And if the bold declaration from Tkachuk in the dressing room afterward holds true, there could be a winner-take-all Game 7 that would take place on Sunday back in Boston. 

“Boys, remember this room,” Tkachuk said, per a clip shared by the Panthers. “We’ll be back here for (Game) 7.”

The Panthers have every right to feel confident right now, having stolen two games on Boston’s home ice where the Bruins losing a game during the 2022-23 season was about as rare as a solar eclipse. And with that seed of doubt being planted in the minds of Bruins players and fans, there’s no telling where it could lead. 

That’s why the NHL is unique as opposed to the NBA, where lower seeded teams almost never upset the betting favorites. In hockey, just as the mantra goes – get in and you have a chance. Not many expected the Panthers to win even a single game in this series, but that’s why you play! Can the Panthers force a deciding Game 7? 

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Linus Ullmark quotes popular TV coach after brutal giveaway

San Diego Union Tribune

The Boston Bruins came into TD Garden last night leading the Florida Panthers in their Round 1 Stanley Cup Playoffs series by a three games to one advantage, and understandably feeling confident after a 6-2 triumph in Game 4 to take the series stranglehold. 

However, the Panthers have absolutely refused to go away quietly, and stunned the capacity crowd in Boston last night by taking advantage of a brutal giveaway in overtime by goaltender Linus Ullmark; Matthew Tkachuk’s goal at 6:05 of the extra session gave Florida new life, ensuring that there will be a Game 6 back at FLA Live Arena: 

This kind of adversity is unfamiliar territory for the Bruins, who won an NHL record 65 games during the regular season while also re-writing several franchise marks for success. It goes to show that regular season success means nothing when it comes to the postseason. 

“I tried to get back in the net, and then he sent it in. You know, I tried to put myself in a position where he can’t bank it off me. Unfortunately, it hits my skate, and then it ends up in the wrong hands,” Ullmark said of the fateful giveaway in overtime. “And from there it was kind of a situation where I couldn’t get back into position. And you know, he takes it by and puts it in.”

“I don’t know. I have to look at it tonight or tomorrow and see what I could have done better,” Ullmark said on how he moves on and throws this game in the trash. “You know, maybe I should have rimmed it, maybe I should have went up the middle. It’s hard to say. I thought that was the best play. That’s it. And it ended up being, you know, the worst play. That happened, and we can all think about what I should have done or could have done. But also, maybe if I did that, maybe it would have been the same results. Who knows? This is the life of hockey and this is the game sometimes.”

Ullmark then delivered a quote from the popular Emmy Award-winning Apple TV series ‘Ted Lasso.’

“You just have to have the mind of a goldfish,” Ullmark said, quoting the eponymous soccer coach. 

Game 6 between the Panthers and Bruins will be back in the Sunshine State on Friday night.

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Bruins release crucial updates on Patrice Bergeron, David Krejci

Mass Live

Here’s the good news for the Boston Bruins – they’re in firm control of their Round 1 Stanley Cup Playoffs series against the Florida Panthers, taking a 3-1 lead back to the friendly confines of TD Garden in Boston after a convincing 6-2 victory in Game 4 Sunday afternoon. 

The bad news is that they’ve been without their veteran duo of Patrice Bergeron and David Krejci. The longtime Bruins forwards are both banged up; Krejci missed the final six regular season games but was able to play in the first two games of the postseason, he’s missed the past pair of games. Meanwhile, Bergeron has missed the entire postseason thanks to a late season injury. 

The Bruins and Panthers are back in action on Wednesday night, and if they’re to do as expected and punch their ticket to the second round, they could potentially do so with the veteran duo back in action, according to head coach Jim Montgomery.

“If they and the doctors say they’re able to play, they’re playing,” Montgomery said of Bergeron (and the injured David Krejci) when asked about their availability for Game 5 at TD Garden. “You don’t take chances in the playoffs. You don’t wait to know if he’s going to get another eight days of rest.

“If he’s healthy, and we know what the situation is, if he gets the green light, he’s playing on Wednesday night.”

Game 5 between the Bruins and Panthers is Wednesday night starting at 7:00 PM EST. 

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Brawl between Bruins and Panthers fans caught on video!

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As it usually always does during the Stanley Cup Playoffs, the animosity is rising on the ice. We’ve seen plenty of heated moments so far in Round 1, notably in the Tampa Bay Lightning-Toronto Maple Leafs and Boston Bruins-Florida Panthers series. 

Sunday afternoon at FLA Live Arena got absolutely crazy in the third period, with multiple on-ice confrontations, even involving goaltender Linus Ullmark and notorious pest Matthew Tkachuk.

But as it sometimes happens at professional sporting events, the animosity on the playing field between the two teams spills over into the crowd. A fan in attendance caught an altercation in the stands with what appeared to be a rather boisterous Bruins fan going at it with a group of Panthers fans: 

Another closer angle of the fight: 

This fan fight was certainly a bit more tame than some of the all-out brawls that we’ve seen at various sporting events over the years, but nonetheless, there certainly were more than a few people in trouble! 

The Bruins would win the game in dominating fashion, scoring six times in the 6-2 victory and giving themselves a commanding 3-1 lead over the Panthers heading back to Boston for Game 5 on Wednesday.

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Patrice Bergeron provides critical health update

NHL.com

The Boston Bruins have been without the services of captain Patrice Bergeron for the entire 2023 Stanley Cup Playoffs so far, though the good news is that they have a commanding 3-1 lead over the Florida Panthers heading into Game 5 in Boston. 

The longtime veteran Bruins forward has been practicing and working towards a return to action, and it was said by head coach Jim Montgomery that it would be “likely” for him to return at some point in the series. Following practice this morning at the team training facility, Bergeron provided a key update on his health – and all signs point to him playing tomorrow night. 

“Feeling good…today’s a good day,” he said. “We’ll see tomorrow how I feel. I’m not anticipating any setbacks. So far, so good.”

The Bruins take on the Panthers tomorrow night at TD Garden and can punch their ticket to the second round with a victory.