How The Boston Bruins Are Preparing For Game 7
The Boston Bruins have no choice but to err on the side of positivity.
After watching their 3-1 first-round series lead against the Toronto Maple Leafs turn into a 3-3 tied affair, the Bruins will suit up for Game 7 Saturday night at TD Garden with an 8 p.m. puck drop.
The group, obviously, would’ve liked to have taken care of business earlier, but is now viewing Game 7 as a ‘great’ opportunity.
“Yesterday, the emotions and frustrations of not ending the series are there,” Boston coach Jim Montgomery said Friday. “When you wake up today, it’s like what’s the plan, how do we get better and look at the opportunity in front of us?”
The Bruins fell 2-1 in Game 6 Thursday night at Scotiabank Arena and, once again, didn’t show much of a push. Boston registered one shot on goal in the first period after logging two shots on goal in the first period of Game 5. The team has not started on time. The Bruins’ lack of urgency and cohesivity gave Toronto life.
“Doesn’t matter how we got to this Game 7,” Charlie Coyle said Friday. “Doesn’t matter if we lost the last three, we won the last three – we won three games, they won three games…It’s a one-game series.”
Coyle is one of Boston’s ‘top guys’ that needs to have a productive showing Saturday. The second-line center has just two assists through six games. Montgomery also made it a point to call out David Pastnrak after Thursday’s loss, saying the forward must “step up.”
Pastrnak – who had 110 points (47 goals, 63 assists) in the regular season – has four points (two goals, two assists) this playoffs.
“I talked to him right after the game about it,” Montgomery said, “I talked to him about it during the game. ‘Pasta’ and I have a real healthy, communicative relationship and he’s ready to go.”
The Bruins’ best player in the series has been Jeremy Swayman. The goaltender gives his team a chance to win every night and has proved his ability to be the ‘go to.’ Swayman has a 1.60 goals against average and .947 save percentage through five starts, and made 24 saves Thursday. The 25 year old will likely get the nod in Game 7.
May 2, 2024; Toronto, Ontario, CAN; Boston Bruins forward David Pastrnak (88) pursues the puck against the Toronto Maple Leafs in the second period in game six of the first round of the 2024 Stanley Cup Playoffs at Scotiabank Arena. Mandatory Credit: Dan Hamilton-USA TODAY Sports
“We need everybody more like Jeremy Swayman,” Montgomery said. “He’s just owned the moment, he’s in the moment, he’s staying in the moment and he’s relishing being a difference maker.”
Beyond Boston’s own inadequacies at getting the most out of its entire lineup, the Leafs have had some changes that – expectedly or not – led to consecutive wins. Auston Matthews was sidelined for Game 5 and 6 after exiting Game 4 in the third period with an undisclosed issue and never returning. The Leafs’ stars have stepped up in his absence. William Nylander scored his first two goals of the series Thursday.
Joseph Woll has been near foolproof between the pipes. The goaltender replaced Ilya Samsonov in Game 4, and has started the rest of the series. Woll has garnered a 0.86 goals against average and .964 save percentage and given the Bruins – who have scored just two combined goals in the last two matchups – trouble.
“We’ve got to get bodies in front of the net,” Coyle said. “We’ve got to keep creating traffic there…We’ve got to fight for our space in there.”
The pressure is no doubt mounting for Boston which let a 3-1 series lead against the Florida Panthers in the 2023 playoffs turn into a first-round exit. The Bruins have also dropped the last three Game 7’s they’ve competed in. But, the players have no time to look back on the past and, instead, are focused on embracing the present.
“Just look forward. You look at the positives…You dwell on the past, you look back or you go negative – you’re not putting your best foot forward and you’re just asking for trouble,” Coyle said. “We know what the recipe is, it’s there. We’ve just got to trust it, believe it and we all battle.”
Recent Bruins News
Maple Leafs’ Tyler Bertuzzi Throws Shade at Bruins
Bruins’ Jim Montgomery Calls Out Ice-Cold David Pastrnak
Bruins Fall 2-1 to Maple Leafs, Get Pushed to Game 7
Bruins Announcer Jack Edwards Rips Into Ref