Why Boston’s Reliance On Team Captains Proved Successful Against The Canadiens
The Boston Bruins found themselves in a tight spot once more, engaging in their sixth overtime game out of the last 14 matches on Thursday night against the Montreal Canadiens at Centre Bell.
Apart from the initial period where Boston and Montreal each scored a goal, there was a lack of significant offensive prowess. The Bruins and Canadiens failed to capitalize on all seven power-play chances, leading to overtime as expected.
From that moment, it was Boston’s responsibility to seek the much-needed solution.
After Boston’s 2-1 overtime win, Bruins head coach Jim Montgomery expressed his confidence in the team, particularly in the leadership, stating, “I had a lot of faith in our team, especially in our key players.” He emphasized the impact of David Pastrnak and Charlie McAvoy’s leadership and how their words guided the team effectively. Montgomery credited their defensive efforts for generating a turnover that set up the game-winning 2-on-1 opportunity.
Linus Ullmark wasn’t heavily challenged, only facing 18 shots from Montreal, but he effectively fulfilled Boston’s objectives. Ullmark successfully shut out the Canadiens in the second and third periods, allowing the Bruins to stay competitive. His patience paid off when Jake DeBrusk scored the game-winning goal in overtime at a crucial moment.
DeBrusk scored the decisive goal only 25 seconds into overtime, capitalizing on a 2-on-1 opportunity created by a turnover from Montreal.
After the game, DeBrusk shared with NESN, “I believe it’s a game where we stuck to our plan. It might have been a bit messy at times, which is typical for this time of year, but we managed to secure the victory. It’s always satisfying to win in overtime. It feels like we’ve played numerous overtimes, so hopefully, our luck will balance out.”
Keeping composure and a strong defensive mindset set up DeBrusk for success when it mattered most, despite the challenge of facing frequent overtimes this season for Boston.
Securing victory within the first minute of overtime reflects Boston’s understanding of the need to be proactive and urgent to prevent late-game setbacks.
DeBrusk scored his third career game-winning goal in overtime, marking the sixth quickest overtime goal in Bruins’ history. It was just eight seconds shy of Glen Murray’s goal in November 2006, which was scored in 17 seconds.
DeBrusk expressed, “I’m delighted to have converted that amazing pass and helped the team with the goal.”
In the past six games, the experienced seven-year player DeBrusk has tallied three goals and four assists, with 17 shots on goal and a plus-four rating.
With the victory, Boston’s record now stands at 39-14-15, and they secured a 3-0-1 series win over the Canadiens for the regular season.
NESN’s Adam Pellerin reported that the Bruins have participated in overtime in 35% of their first 68 games this season.
A 7️⃣4️⃣ CELLY SIGN OFF 🗣️ pic.twitter.com/ehxfIIy1PI
— Boston Bruins (@NHLBruins) March 15, 2024
After a two-day break, Boston will resume play by hosting the Philadelphia Flyers on Saturday night at TD Garden. The game is scheduled to begin at 7 p.m. Eastern Time. You can tune in to watch the game and enjoy an hour of pregame coverage live on NESN.
Following a two-day rest, Boston will continue their games by welcoming the Philadelphia Flyers to TD Garden on Saturday night. The match is set to start at 7 p.m. Eastern Time. Viewers can catch the game and indulge in an hour of pregame coverage airing live on NESN.
