Montgomery shoulders blame as Bruins in 2-1 gap to Panthers

BOSTON — Coach Jim Montgomery took accountability for the Boston Bruins falling in a 2-1 collection gap to the Florida Panthers after a 6-2 Recreation 3 loss Friday evening at TD Backyard.

“Our execution within the final two video games has simply not been ok and that is my fault. I’ve received to be higher,” Montgomery stated.

Particularly, the coach accepted blame for the Bruins’ sluggish begin in Recreation 3 that noticed them outshot 13-3 within the first interval and 24-8 by the point the Panthers had constructed a 3-0 lead within the second. It was a begin that quieted a raucous Boston crowd.

“We have had a few video games the place we began sluggish,” Montgomery stated. “We have not generated a lot offense. I’ve to provide the gamers a greater plan. Florida was considerably higher than us. I’ve received to provide you with a greater recreation plan.”

The Bruins did not present any life till the third interval, when heart Jakub Lauko scored to chop the deficit to 4-1 and break a streak of 10 straight Panthers objectives within the collection. Boston received to inside 4-2, however the Florida protection and goalie Sergei Bobrovsky (15 saves) stopped the comeback.

Boston’s late-game rally got here after it misplaced captain Brad Marchand to an upper-body damage. Marchand skated eight shifts within the first interval and 7 within the second, amassing 10:51 in ice time earlier than departing for good. He did not register a shot on objective.

Montgomery stated the Bruins will know extra about their captain’s standing Saturday. However he stated Marchand’s absence might need served as inspiration for his gamers within the third interval.

“I assumed we rallied due to our captain,” he stated. “I assumed our gamers all elevated their video games and we began competing like Brad Marchand would have.”

Defenseman Brandon Carlo stated that winger David Pastrnak, defenseman Charlie McAvoy and winger Pat Maroon had been extra vocal than typical within the third interval to make up for Marchand’s absence.

“I feel we did a superb job of producing some stuff, and that is a key that they dropped at the sport for us,” he stated.

The Panthers took over with the ability play. Boston rookie defenseman Mason Lohrei was whistled for a double minor for top sticking at 14:37 of the second interval. Vladimir Tarasenko and Carter Verhaeghe scored on the guaranteeing energy performs to make it 3-0.

Simply 3:09 into the third interval, defenseman Brandon Montour beat Jeremy Swayman (27 saves) for one more power-play objective to make it 4-0. The Panthers had been 4-for-6 with the person benefit.

“I feel they made changes. They’ve a lot of actually good gamers. However I nonetheless believe in our penalty kill,” stated ahead Jake DeBrusk, one among Boston’s penalty killers. “Actually, we have to remain out of the [penalty] field. It doesn’t matter what we consider the refs or what is going on on.”

However DeBrusk did not consider the Recreation 3 loss fell on his coach, irrespective of how a lot blame Montgomery shouldered.

“I feel that it goes each methods. We are the ones which can be on the market. We are the ones which can be taking part in the sport. He can put any plan that he thinks it is going to assist us out, however we have to execute,” DeBrusk stated. “It is about making the appropriate one or making the appropriate selections and clearly we did not try this. Towards a workforce like that, you must play a fairly excellent recreation. And the final two video games you have seen what occurs once we do not.”

Recreation 4 is Sunday evening in Boston.

Montgomery, who stated it is again to the drafting board to discover a strategy to knot the collection, once more pinned the loss on himself.

“It is too early to have the ability to speak about adjustments,” he stated. “We received to do our due diligence and have a look at the sport once more and see who’s executing and who’s taking part in with the hassle. However it’s not ok. We did not play effectively sufficient. That is why I take the accountability.”