Jim Montgomery calls out Bruins, calls for bag skate during sluggish practice

“I don't think our team's ready yet for the playoffs."

Jim Montgomery had strong words for the Bruins after Monday's skate. (AP Photo/Charles Krupa)

March 25, 2024

2 minutes to read

Jim Montgomery had seen enough.

Less than five minutes into Monday’s practice at Warrior Ice Arena, Boston’s bench boss put an emphatic halt to the team’s opening drill, then beckoned his players to the goal line.

“Wake the [expletive] up!” Montgomery barked before commencing the start of a grueling stretch of end-to-end sprints for the entire roster.

Jim Montgomery was not happy with that last drill.

“Wake the f—- up!”

Here come the sprints. pic.twitter.com/nnyjtMswyJ
— Conor Ryan (@ConorRyan_93) March 25, 2024

It was a stern shot across the bow to a Bruins team that has done little to inspire confidence in its playoff mettle as of late.

And with a back-to-back slate with the Panthers and Lightning next up on the docket, Montgomery stressed that more lapses in his team’s details will only compound Boston’s woes ahead of its postseason push.

“I hated the way we finished the game in Philly [on Saturday.] It was a good hockey game, it was playoff intensity, [had] physicality to it,” Montgomery noted after Monday’s practice. “And I don’t think I’ve done a good enough job of teaching the details and game management that we need.

“And then we weren’t prepared to practice today. So that’s why, those things coupled together — not ready to start practice on times, guys not knowing what we’re supposed to be doing. Again, I take responsibility for it. But there’s got to be some responsibility on the players too.”

Montgomery venting his frustrations comes after Boston dropped back-to-back games in regulation to the Rangers and Flyers on Thursday and Saturday — with the Bruins unable to elevate their game against two teams also bracing themselves for the gauntlet that awaits in the postseason.

In its 5-2 loss to the Rangers at TD Garden, Boston struggled to gain inside ice against the Blueshirts — generating just four high-danger scoring chances over 50:29 of 5-on-5 ice time (per Natural Stat Trick). Montgomery also bemoaned several poor line changes that led to odd-man rushes and Grade-A looks for the Flyers in a 3-2 loss on Saturday afternoon.

“We have good stretches where we manage the game, and we get away from it,” Montgomery noted. “You can’t get away from it. You just can’t give a game away in the playoffs. Because you don’t get to play the following week if you do it.”

Boston’s veterans agreed with Montgomery’s harsh critiques, both on the ice and in his post-practice address to the media.

“He’s the coach,” Charlie Coyle noted. “I think it was very warranted today to do that. You have to come ready to play and be sharp, no matter what day it is. No matter if you’re tired, not tired, whatever, you have to be sharp.”

Boston’s lackluster showing in back-to-back games against New York and Philadelphia might have prompted Montgomery’s pointed words, but the Bruins have largely treaded water for months now.

As noted by Kevin Paul Dupont of The Boston Globe, the Bruins have lost as many games as they’ve won (27-15-12) since Black Friday in November — a span of 54 games.

A strong response on Tuesday night against a Panthers team that shattered Boston’s playoff hopes last spring would be a welcome sight for Montgomery.

With only 10 games left in the regular season, the Bruins are running out of time before the stakes are raised in the postseason.

“I don’t think our team’s ready yet for the playoffs,” Montgomery acknowledged. “We got to continue to get tested and we’re gonna get tested.”