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Bruins coach makes blunt ‘level’ admission after Panthers loss

Originally posted on NHL on ClutchPoints
By Tristin McKinstry | Last updated 10/14/24

The Boston Bruins have lost to the Florida Panthers in the Stanley Cup Playoffs two years running. A new hockey season brings hope for results and fortunes anew, but that hasn’t been the case. The Panthers defeated the Bruins to open the season, and they defeated Boston again on Monday afternoon.

Bruins coach Jim Montgomery knows his team has to play better. On Monday, he saw firsthand that his team is in need of improvement, especially when it comes to the various on-ice battles that occur over the course of the game. This led to a rather blunt admission on the part of the Boston bench boss after this latest loss.

“We can’t lose as many battles as we do,” Montgomery told reporters on Monday afternoon, via NHL.com. “I mean, [Florida is] the standard right now in the NHL for winning battles, and we’re not up to that level yet. We have to vastly improve that level.”

Unsung Bruins shine despite Panthers loss

Boston Bruins head coach Jim Montgomery looks on from the bench against the Florida Panthers during the third period at Amerant Bank Arena. Sam Navarro-Imagn Images

Jim Montgomery certainly cannot be happy with this latest loss to the Panthers. However, the Bruins coach has to be pleased with the way his fourth line is playing. Johnny Beecher, Mark Kastelic, and Cole Koepke played a role in all three Boston goals on Monday. Though two of these goals were scored by defensemen, the fourth forward line was vital to those goals being scored.

This is not limited to this game, either. All three forwards on the fourth line rank second, third, and fourth among Bruins skaters for points. Kastelic, who came over from the Ottawa Senators in the Linus Ullmark trade, is tied for the team lead with five points. This offensive effort has not gone unnoticed by those playing up the lineup.

“They’ve been unbelievable,” Bruins captain Brad Marchand said, via NHL.com. “It’s great to see the way that they compete and bring it every night, and the rest of us need to take a page out of their book and be a lot better. But they’re definitely carrying the weight right now.”

The Bruins are urgently chasing a Stanley Cup in 2025. It’s certainly still early, but Boston’s star players are going to need to step up if they want any chance at meaningfully contending. They have a chance to bounce back during their upcoming three-game road trip. This road trip begins on Wednesday as they travel to take on the Colorado Avalanche.

This article first appeared on NHL on ClutchPoints and was syndicated with permission.

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