Boston Bruins head coach Jim Montgomery raised eyebrows earlier this week by throwing his forward lines in a blender, elevating 19-year-old Matt Poitras to second line center, and sliding Charlie Coyle back to third line duty. Usually, such a move is reserved for teams looking for some spark following a lackluster start or amid a losing streak.
However, considering what was lost during this past offseason, the Boston Bruins starting their 2023-24 campaign 2-0 is the best-case scenario for tinkering with lines. Especially when you factor in how three out of their next four games are against teams who failed to make the playoffs a year ago. So, perhaps it was to be expected that a pre-game skate on Thursday in advance of their road matchup against the San Jose Sharks would be less crisp. But not for Jim Montgomery.
Fluto Shinzawa of the Athletic, who covers the Bruins, described Montgomery’s displeasure with his team’s effort. He tweeted, “Unkind words for the team after (practice).” The Bruins bench boss then doubled down, prior to warmups, catching team captain Brad Marchand in the hallway and challenging him to “make sure these guys are ready to play,” according to Jack Edwards.
The message was received as Boston came out in sync and managed to generate scoring chances in the opening minutes. Highlighted by a Trent Frederic odd man rush backhand which was smothered by Sharks goalie Kaapo Kahkonen.
But in the final two minutes of the first period, those lineup tweaks began to pay dividends.
First, following a sustained pressure shift set up by Poitras, it was Brad Marchand down the left wing snapping a beautiful shot past Kahkonen for a 1-0 lead. Off the ensuing faceoff, Charlie Coyle entered the offensive zone, put his shoulder down, curled behind the net, and sent a puck to the crease, which was jammed on net by Trent Frederic and ultimately put home by James van Riemsdyk for a 2-0 lead.
Worth noting that line of ‘JVR’-Cyole-Frederic outshot the Sharks 10-0 in the opening period.
With the benefit of playing in front, Montgomery continued to shift guys around well past midnight Eastern time. Zacha, who played spectacularly, centered Marchand and David Pastrnak. Coyle’s line featuring JVR and Frederick became the second line. While Poitras centered Jake DeBrusk and Morgan Geekie, the fourth line of Milan Lucic, John Beecher, and Jakub Lauko remained as is.
Again, there was a spark. In the waning minutes of the second period, Pastrnak chipped a puck past Marc-Édouard Vlasic and carried it himself into the offensive zone. On the backcheck, Vlasic hauled Pastrnak down but, in doing so, allowed Pastrnak to bump the puck forward and into the net for a goal so ridiculous it needs to be seen to be believed.
3-0 Boston.
Up big in the third period meant more line juggling. Morgan Geekie, who was signed following the departures of Patrice Bergeron and David Krejci in retirement to shore up their center depth, has spent long stretches of the season playing wing. So he was bound to find himself at the dot up three goals. Centering a line with Poitras and Marchand on the wing, a 50/50 faceoff in the offensive zone, unfortunately, went San Jose’s way, resulting in an Anthony Duclair transition goal.
Sacrificing a goal did not stop Montgomery, who then paired Geekie with Marchand and Pastrnak. Presumably, to get the former Seattle Kraken, who enjoyed a career year in 2022-23 rolling offensively.
Interestingly, Beecher closed out regulation playing alongside Zacha. It was Beecher who recorded his first NHL point on a primary assist on Marchand’s opening goal. Later in the game, while killing a penalty, his aggressive blueline attack allowed Marchand to spring free on a breakaway but was denied by Kahkonen.
Boston will continue its road trip Saturday against the Los Angeles Kings. The Kings pose the biggest threat Boston has faced this season, so will we see more lineup adjustments?
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