The Bruins are gearing up for a do-or-die Game 7 on Saturday, with head coach Jim Montgomery confident that his team will rise to the occasion and advance past the first round. Boston faces Toronto at TD Garden after the Maple Leafs tied the series 3-3 with a 2-1 win at Scotiabank Arena.
Toronto hopes to have their star player, Auston Matthews, back for the decisive game, but Montgomery believes his own star, David Pastrnak, will step up when it counts. After Thursday’s loss, Montgomery told reporters that he’s expecting a big performance from Pastrnak, and he’s encouraged by their open communication.
“I spoke with him right after the game, and even during the game,” Montgomery said, according to WEEI’s Scott McLaughlin. “Pasta and I have a really healthy, communicative relationship, and he’s ready to go.”
Pastrnak himself mentioned that he needed to adopt a shot-first mentality, aiming to be aggressive in Game 7. The Bruins star has scored nine goals and notched 14 assists for 23 points in his playoff career against the Maple Leafs, including four points in this year’s Stanley Cup playoffs.
Montgomery is confident that his team will correct their recent mistakes and bring their A-game to the home ice. He believes the Bruins have what it takes to close out the series and move on to the next round.
