Bruins Survive Florida Push, Cruise to Another Home Win

BOSTON – Jim Montgomery acknowledged that if the make-up of his group was totally different, he probably would have pushed the pause button.

With the Bruins cruising to a four-goal lead lower than two minutes into the second interval, it appeared it was going to be a straightforward night time for the Black & Gold.

However Florida had different concepts, putting for 3 consecutive tallies over a five-minute span to tug inside a objective. With the wheels, seemingly, falling off, it was then that Montgomery may have simply referred to as his timeout.

This Bruins group, nonetheless, has earned the belief of their bench boss.

“It is totally different from another group I’ve coached earlier than, simply because they’re nice leaders they usually know the right way to win,” stated Montgomery. “All of the other ways we have received, it reveals, so I’ve developed the power to allow them to management a variety of what is going on on. I allow them to play by means of issues greater than I might different groups. Earlier than, I might both get on them verbally or possibly name a timeout. You already know the issues you can management as a coach.

“I believe from the second objective by means of the third objective I considered [a timeout]…however the guys had been saying the precise issues on the bench. There wasn’t a way of panic by the gamers and our bench – extra myself. However there wasn’t a way of urgency with our play both. However we managed to get out of it and once more, discovered a means. We’re a resilient group.”

Boston proved that, as soon as once more, on Monday night time.

After Florida reduce the Bruins’ result in one, the Black & Gold scored three consecutive objectives of their very own to safe a 7-3 victory over the Panthers at TD Backyard.

“I believe it is an incredible present of confidence there only for him to say that,” stated Bruins captain Patrice Bergeron, who tallied 4 factors, together with two objectives within the third interval to place the sport away. I believe for us, we attempt to reset. I believe that is the largest factor on the bench. And notice you are still up by a objective. However proper now, we’re not enjoying good hockey, and we gotta get again.

“We stated it on the bench. We simply want one shift to sort of get your self again. So, simplify is at all times the straightforward phrase. It is easy to squeeze and panic, however I believe once you take a breath, and also you notice that we’re nonetheless up, however we gotta be higher.”

Bergeron made positive to set the tone in that regard as he scored twice inside a span of 4:26 of the third interval (8:52 and 13:18 on the facility play) to increase the Bruins’ result in 7-3.

“They’re necessary [goals] as a result of they provide us respiratory room and the air got here out of the depth of the sport, simply because once you go 6-3, it is exhausting,” stated Montgomery. “They already fought again – it jogged my memory of the sport we performed in Ottawa [in October]. We’re down 3-0, we tie at 3-3, and all of the sudden we’re down 5-3. It is exhausting to maintain chasing, it is a variety of vitality you waste making an attempt to catch up.”

Video: Bergeron posts a 2-2-4 in B’s 7-3 W over FLA

Clifton Will get It Going 

Montgomery was blunt: he does not just like the Cliffy Hockey nickname.

“To begin with, I wish to say this: I don’t just like the time period Cliffy Hockey,” the coach stated postgame. “Not from you guys [the media] utilizing it, however inside our room. It is humorous, I really spoke to him about it, I stated ‘I believe the way in which it is introduced up within the room and the way it was born, it was born out of possibly him being too reckless. And Cliffy hockey occurring his personal web page.’

“The participant that I see is somebody that is aware of very a lot how the group is enjoying, is at all times supporting the construction of the play, and has the power due to his instincts to make excessive danger reward performs. Tonight, is the most effective recreation he is had shortly and I am glad for him.”

Clifton picked up a objective and an help in 18:09 of ice time, together with the sport’s opening tally at 10:51 of the primary when he collected a unfastened puck within the impartial zone, sailed into the Florida finish, threw a puck towards the crease, circled the web, discovered his rebound, and ripped a wrister by Panthers goalie Spencer Knight.

“I believe it was only a good D-zone play, I had some pace after that turnover that they had within the impartial zone, I attempted to get it to web entrance to Hallsy, but it surely got here proper again to me on the different facet of the web, in order that labored out,” stated Clifton, whose objective was his third of the season, setting a career-high.

Cliffy Hockey? For these watching – sure. However not for Clifton himself.

“We talked about it the opposite day. We each hate it,” Clifton, who additionally tied his profession excessive of 10 factors, stated with a chuckle when requested about Montgomery not liking the Cliffy Hockey moniker. “I by no means actually favored it, truthfully. It’s what it’s. Typically you get a nickname, and it sticks. It is kinda what occurred.”

Video: Montgomery speaks with media after 7-3 win over FLA

Carlo Breaks By 

Simply over three minutes after Clifton’s marker, Brandon Carlo doubled the Bruins’ lead along with his first objective of the season. The blue liner joined the frenzy by means of the impartial zone and surged into the Florida finish the place he collected a feed from Brad Marchand simply contained in the blue line.

Carlo crept into the slot and fired a wrister from the tops of the circles that beat Knight glove-side to make it 2-0 with 5:56 left within the first interval.

“Superb. One thing that I have never tried to concentrate on an excessive amount of of like not having a objective but all through this 12 months. I really feel like I used to be simply specializing in getting my alternatives every recreation. I knew it will hopefully come quickly and I am glad it did tonight,” stated Carlo, who hadn’t scored since April 5 in Detroit.

Carlo, who performed 18:40 with 4:02 of it coming shorthanded, moments later picked up an help on Charlie Coyle‘s objective that put Boston forward, 3-0, with 3:53 to go within the first interval.

“I really feel like there’s been a variety of alternatives within the offensive zone for all of us defensemen,” Carlo stated of how he is adjusted to Montgomery’s system. “It is a matter of placing it behind the web, however I believe with our transition recreation and issues like that, you have seen some excellent spurts. I really feel prefer it’s faltered just a little bit as of late, however that is one thing we are able to proceed to develop on. It is nice how we hold discovering methods to win.”

Montgomery praised Carlo for his recreation at each ends of the ice.

“I believe he is been leaping into the precise holes offensively, popping out of D-zone, by means of the impartial zone, and within the offensive zone, particularly,” stated Montgomery. “And he is had a variety of alternatives and it was nice to see him get rewarded…nice cross by Brad Marchand.”

“I believe he is been superior [defensively],” added Montgomery. “I believe within the final 10-15 video games, Brandon Carlo has been enjoying nice hockey. He sadly bought harm there early within the 12 months and it took him a pair video games to get again into rhythm, however, man, he is been actually, actually good for us.”

Carlo stated that over the past 15 video games or so, “there’s been a giant psychological reset for me.”

“I might say the largest factor for me is simply having fun with the sport as a lot as I presumably can,” he stated. “I’ve sort of come into this right here with a gratitude-type mindset of simply having fun with this expertise and being very glad and it is an honor to put on this crest on my chest.

“I am simply having fun with it. I believe that is sort of the place it is going…with the enjoyment comes confidence and calm as nicely that I’ve undoubtedly felt in my recreation.”

Video: Carlo posts a 1-1-2 in B’s 7-3 W over FLA

Wait, There’s Extra

• Linus Ullmark made 36 saves to enhance to 11-0-1 at TD Backyard this season and turn out to be the fifth Bruins goalie to have a degree streak of 12 or extra video games to start out a marketing campaign, per NHL Stats (Tuukka Rask 20 GP in 2019-20), Gilles Gilbert (17 GP in 1973-74), Gerry Cheevers 13GP in 1976-77), and Frank Brimsek (12 GP in 1941-42).
• Ullmark’s save of the night time got here within the third interval with the Bruins up, 5-3. After a scramble in entrance, the puck popped out to Gustav Forsling on the level, however Ullmark stretched out to make a wonderful glove save and finish the menace. “That was nice. He is been doing that each one 12 months for us. A well timed save as nicely,” stated Carlo. “These are large alternatives for us to feed off of his vitality and the way in which that he has been enjoying…Linus is clearly holding us in there. That was a giant one.”
• David Krejci scored with 9:10 remaining within the second to provide the Bruins some respiratory room with a 5-3 benefit. The marker was his 10^th objective of the season, making him the eighth participant in Bruins historical past with 12 or extra 10-goal campaigns (Ray Bourque, 21), Johnny Bucyk (20), Patrice Bergeron (17), Milt Schmidt (13), Wayne Cashman (12), Rick Middleton (12), and Brad Marchand (12).
• David Pastrnak‘s power-play objective simply 1:38 into the second put the Bruins up, 4-0, and prolonged his level streak to 9 video games (7 objectives, 4 assists), his second nine-game streak this season, becoming a member of Edmonton’s Connor McDavid as the one NHL gamers to have a number of such streaks.
• Marchand registered three assists and has now factored on the identical objective with Bergeron 392 occasions (3 times on Monday night time), per NHL Stats. That ranks second in Bruins historical past behind Phil Esposito and Ken Hodge (406) and second amongst energetic NHLers behind Washington’s Alex Ovechkin and Nicklas Backstrom (499). “”I assumed he was our greatest participant within the first interval,” Montgomery stated of Marchand. “I assumed he was everywhere, I assumed he was constructing momentum.”