Bruins celebrate the Lunch Pail AC era on Saturday

On a night the Bruins were honoring the Lunch Pail AC era, coach Jim Montgomery arrived at his pregame press briefing on Saturday evening sporting a loud black and gold vest in an homage to former coach Don Cherry.

“They asked me if I’d wear it and I said ‘I’d be honored to wear anything that would resemble him,” said Montgomery.

Montgomery was a kid growing up in Montreal rooting on the rival Canadiens when the two teams engaged in hand-to-hand combat every year in the post-season. His most vivid memory?

“The two (Finals) series, just how hard I was. Each game just seemed like a war. And I’ll always remember the brawl (in 1978) when (Stan) Jonathan gave it to (Pierre) Bouchard. That sticks out in your mind when you’re seven years old,” said Montgomery of he fight that left the Canadien a bloody mess.

The B’s weren’t taking on the Habs on Saturday, but another worthy Original Six team, the Metropolitan Division-leading New York Rangers.

Rookie Matt Poitras, after sitting out Friday’s game in Long Island for load management, will be back in the lineup. While he didn’t get into how many games Poitras will miss in this new plan for the rookie, Montgomery said that the team has it mapped out through late January.

“He’s handled it very well,” said Montgomery. “His demeanor doesn’t change. He’s a very intentional young man in what he wants to be and how he wants to get there. I think he understands why we think this is the most beneficial formula, and we do. It puts him in a situation to have the most success.”

Patrick Brown will also go into the lineup. Jakub Lauko and Jesper Boqvist will come out.

Staying in the lineup will be rookie defenseman Mason Lohrei, who’s had his ups and downs defensively but stepped up to score the tying goal in the B’s thrilling 5-4 shootout win over the Islanders on Friday.

“What we really like about Lohrei is that he has a short-term memory. Real good athletes have short- term memories,” said Montgomery. “Michael Jordan would say he missed 22,000 shots, right. But that next one, he’s making it. You’re going to make mistakes in the game, and I’m not talking about Lohrei. But what I like about him is, even if things aren’t going his way, he scores that goal at he end of the game. Like, what’s he doing down below the goal line? He’s down there because he wants to make plays. You want athletes that wants the puck and wants to make plays.”

Pavel Zacha and Charlie McAvoy both remain out with upper body injuries but Montgomery said they’re progressing well.

“Very, very hopeful both for (Tuesday),” said Montgomery.