Bruins coach Jim Montgomery ‘still pissed off’ over Game 5 loss

Boston Bruins coach Jim Montgomery had an evening to sleep on his workforce’s 2-1 additional time loss to Toronto in Recreation 5 of their first-round Stanley Cup playoff sequence on Tuesday — and remained in a foul temper about it by Wednesday.

“I am nonetheless pissed off from final evening, to be trustworthy,” Montgomery mentioned after the Bruins’ non-compulsory apply. “I do not perceive and do not settle for our play final evening. I will be pissed off till the puck drops [in Game 6].”

The Bruins entered Tuesday’s sport with a 3-1 lead within the best-of-seven sequence and will have eradicated the Leafs with a victory on residence ice. As a substitute, Boston is headed again to Toronto for Recreation 6 on Thursday understanding the Leafs have life once more.

Montgomery introduced his group in previous to the journey for a gathering the place the Bruins went over a lackluster Recreation 5 efficiency that included a expensive, poor begin and a normal failure to match the Leafs’ urgency.

Boston allowed Toronto defenseman Jake McCabe to open the scoring in a primary interval the place the Bruins have been outshot 11-2. Despite the fact that Trent Frederic capitalized on a fortuitous bounce to tie the rating at 1-1 via 20 minutes, Boston was on its heels in Recreation 5 greater than that they had been all through the sequence. Matthew Knies’ additional time winner simply 2:26 into the additional body was a dagger Montgomery could not shake.

“We wished to evaluate the sport and the place we went fallacious,” mentioned Montgomery. “We began speaking about the place we have to get higher. A few of that is bodily. A few of it’s psychological. A few of it’s staying within the second. I do not suppose we did a ok job staying within the second final evening. That is what we’re searching for [in our] subsequent sport.”

Montgomery additionally took warmth for altering his lineup in Recreation 5. Quite than sticking with what beforehand labored, Montgomery inserted Matt Grzelcyk for Kevin Shattenkirk on the blue line — and watched Grzelcyk be victimized by John Tavares’ foot pace establishing Knies’ winner in additional time.

“There are numerous discussions that go on, however in the long run, I find yourself making selections that I used to be actually assured have been greatest for the Boston Bruins,” mentioned Montgomery. “And when it would not work out, I perceive it’s going to be second-guessed and third-guessed and fourth-guessed. I perceive that it comes with the territory. Similar to while you make modifications, and it really works out. It is the identical factor. However I am snug with the selections I made and why I made them, and the criticism that comes with it.”

The Bruins’ missed alternative to shine off the Leafs places them in uncomfortably acquainted territory. Final spring, Boston was the league’s reigning Presidents Trophy winner and jumped out to a 3-1 sequence lead over the eighth-seeded Florida Panthers. The Bruins failed to shut out the Panthers in three straight tries and unraveled solely with a shocking first-round playoff exit.

Boston has carried out nicely this time round because the highway workforce, taking each Recreation 3 and 4 in Toronto that put the Leafs on the ropes. Toronto has misplaced six consecutive postseason video games on residence ice and was booed by its personal crowd after a dismal two-period effort in Recreation 4 on Saturday. A seventh consecutive defeat of their constructing on Thursday would spell the top of one other disappointing Leafs postseason.

That is why Toronto coach Sheldon Keefe pressured the significance of his workforce preserving Thursday’s sport in perspective, specializing in what they might construct from fairly than worrying concerning the venue.

“Fairly truthfully, [being home again] means nothing,” he mentioned. “We’ve got to strategy the sport no in another way than we’ve got on the highway by way of our plan and what’s required. We do not have to impress anybody. We do not have to do that or that, we’ve got to win a sport.”

Toronto made a major lineup change of its personal Tuesday, beginning Joseph Woll for the primary time on this sequence over Ilya Samsonov. Woll was wonderful in making 28 stops and tasks to get the decision once more in Thursday’s important matchup. Much less clear is whether or not the Leafs could have ahead Auston Matthews again within the lineup.

Matthews missed the third interval of Recreation 4 and all of Recreation 5 with what the Leafs have deemed a “lingering” sickness. He skated Tuesday and once more Wednesday, however Keefe offered no replace on whether or not he can be out there to play in Recreation 6. Max Domi took over Matthews’ top-line spot in Tuesday’s win with good success (one help, 85.7 faceoff win share) and would heart there once more if Matthews cannot go.

Boston had higher information on Brandon Carlo, who was absent from their bench in additional time Tuesday. Montgomery confirmed the blueliner can be “good to go” in Recreation 6.

Nonetheless the Bruins’ lineup comes collectively, the Leafs are getting ready for one more hard-fought bout Thursday to maintain their season alive. However now, Toronto has a blueprint in thoughts for fulfillment.

“We’re nonetheless in a battle,” mentioned Keefe. “That definitely has not modified. We have gotten the opponent’s consideration right here now. So, tomorrow goes to be a fair more durable evening, however there’s one strategy to go about it. And that is how we have performed in our final two highway sport [wins]. That is playoff hockey. That is what’s required, and we’ve got to convey that to the ice tomorrow.”