Jim Montgomery shuts down critics calling out Boston Bruins' $90,000,000 star

Boston Bruins coach Jim Montgomery responded to critics calling out star player David Pastrnak for his lack of goal-scoring in the series. Despite Pastrnak having only two goals so far, Montgomery defended his player, emphasizing that people often overlook his overall contributions to the team.

Montgomery stated,

"People overanalyze just the goal scoring. They don't recognize what he does. He's out there for us in every empty-net situation. People underestimate his value as a defensive player and a guy that knows how to win."

The scrutiny on Pastrnak intensified due to his $90,000,000 contract (Spotrac) with the Boston Bruins, signed in March 2023.

Even though he was still goalless after a 2-1 overtime loss to the Maple Leafs, he has been offensively effective with two goals and two assists in five games of the first round.

Winning Game 4 was of paramount importance to him and it was during this game that he scored, giving the Bruins a decent lead. Pastrnak remains an integral part of Boston's offense as he is afforded a lot of ice time and power-play opportunities to lead the team's scoring drive.

Pastrnak and Boston Bruins lost 2-1 to Toronto

The Toronto Maple Leafs secured a crucial victory against the Boston Bruins despite missing their top scorer, Auston Matthews, due to an unspecified illness. Matthew Knies emerged as a hero, scoring the overtime goal that sealed the 2-1 win for Toronto and prevented elimination in their first-round playoff series.

Knies credited John Tavares for creating the opportunity with his persistence in the offensive zone. Jake McCabe also contributed a goal, and Joseph Woll's 28 saves helped keep Boston at bay. This victory cut Boston's series lead to 3-2, setting the stage for a decisive Game 6.

While Boston's Trent Frederic equalized the game, Toronto maintained an aggressive stance throughout.

“The aggression, the assertiveness that we played from the start. We didn’t feel sorry for ourselves, we didn’t mail it in. We went out and tried to take charge of the hockey game in the first period,” coach Sheldon Keefe said.

Despite missing Matthews, Toronto showcased assertiveness and control, outshooting Boston and dominating faceoffs in the opening period.

The game also saw intense moments with heated exchanges between players, highlighting the rivalry between the Atlantic Division teams. Keefe acknowledged the challenges, saying,

“As difficult as this one was here tonight, the next one is going to be even harder,” Keefe said.

He is optimistic about Toronto's determination moving forward.