“We just weren’t good enough…simple as that.” Boston Bruins Head Coach Jim Montgomery was contrite and honest after a disappointing 3-2 Game 5 loss in overtime to the Toronto Maple Leafs at TD Garden in Boston on Tuesday night. The Bruins and their fans had flashbacks of the last postseason when the Florida Panthers took Game 5 in Boston in overtime. This series with Toronto has taken on the same script as last season’s first-round exit. Montgomery had made line changes before that fifth game in the Florida series, even with a three games to one lead. On Tuesday night, the second-year coach did it again with the same result.
Montgomery told the media after the game that there were no regrets regarding benching John Beecher and Kevin Shattenkirk in favor of Justin Brazeau and Matt Grzelcyk. Beecher, a fourth-line rookie center, collected a goal, five blocks, seven hits, seven shots, and a faceoff percentage of 54.8 in four playoff games. But Montgomery decided to go with the big-bodied Brazeau, who was returning from shoulder surgery after scoring five goals in 19 games late in the season. The rather puzzling move did not pay off as Brazeau played just ten minutes Tuesday, and without Beecher, the Maple Leafs won 60.4 percent of the faceoffs on the night.
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Shattenkirk had been playing just about ten minutes per game but was used primarily on the top power-play unit for Boston. Tuesday night, Montgomery went with the veteran Grzelcyk, who has struggled with the physicality of the playoffs in the past. The 5-foot-10, 175-pound defenseman had a rough first period but did get better as the game went along. However, in overtime, Grzelcyk was beaten to the net on the outside by John Tavares, and a centering pass hit off the skate of Grzelcyk right to Matthew Knies, who potted the game-winner.
As the two teams head to Game 6 in Toronto, the lineup for Boston will be a hot topic. Will there be changes? Will Montgomery elect to go with the same lineup as Tuesday? Does goaltender Linus Ullmark get the start over Jeremy Swayman? Will there be line shuffling? There is a lot to consider for a coach who is feeling the heat after a blown 3-1 series lead last spring and another missed opportunity in Game 5 on Tuesday. The Bruins need to figure out their issues at home, where they are 2-5 in their last seven home playoff games. But Thursday night will be the ultimate road test. The Bruins do not want a Game 7 at home where anything can happen. The plan for Game 6 is to be the team that got you two big road wins in games 3 and 4. Go with that lineup. Insert Beecher and Shattenkirk again and grind out a series-clinching win.
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