Jim Montgomery addressed the media after the Maple Leafs’ 4-2 loss to the Boston Bruins in Game 3 of the ECQF playoff series.
On his team’s performance:
It was awesome to do it — we got a series lead — but it was the way we did it. In the morning skate, I saw the way we were, and I saw the way our captain was. I just knew we were going to have a good game. I didn’t know if we were going to win — the Leafs are a good hockey team — but I knew we were coming to play.
On what he saw from Brad Marchand earlier in the day:
He started barking the first drill. I said, “It’s three minutes early,” and he goes, “Let’s go!” I loved it.
On Marchand’s ability to elevate in the big moments:
Now, I’ve witnessed it firsthand. I love watching hockey. Even if I wasn’t coaching in the NHL, I was watching what he, Bergeron, and the Bruins were doing. They have always been an elite team.
He has always risen to big moments. If you look at his career points in the playoffs… Wow.
On Marchand’s ability to thrive when there is controversy and shenanigans around him in a game:
I just think there is a burning intensity in him to win. He doesn’t care about what just happened—good or bad—it is gone, and he is on to what is next.
On how Marchand can stay on the right side of the line with officials even though he lives in the grey area with his play:
Well, that is new. I think it is age, right? Last year, I don’t think he took a penalty in the playoffs. Everybody in the playoffs targets the other team’s best players. He gets targeted. He still manages to get under people’s skin, and yet he doesn’t cross the line.
It is something where you have to tip your hat to him because of his maturation as a hockey player and as a person.
On the keys to success for the Bruins’ power play so far (4 for 9):
The pace we are playing with. The pucks are moving. People are moving off of the puck. It is what we were trying to do.
I also think splitting up the units created inner competition. It also freed people’s minds of, “I have to get the puck to Pasta,” or, “I’ve got to get the puck to Marchand.” It was the same old, same old. Now, it is fresh.
On the Bruins burning some of the delayed-penalty time late in the second period so they could have a longer power play with the fresh ice to start the third:
It is something we talk about a lot. If Toronto didn’t have a penalty, we really try to milk the clock. Usually, when you have a delayed penalty, the other team’s best defensive players aren’t out there. They are not used to being out there. Not all the time, anyway. A lot of teams do that.
For us, it was really smart. That was the players on their own doing that. You could tell Lindholm and Marchy brought it back. It was really smart with the time management and being able to get a longer power play.
On whether he yelled from the bench to milk the clock:
I yell from the bench all the time. They never listen.
On Jeremy Swayman’s play through two starts in the series:
He has been terrific. I just love his compete level and his quickness. When it went to 3-2, right afterward, there was a barrage of rebounds. If I remember correctly, Bertuzzi had two of the chances. There were two more, it seemed like. He is just square to the puck. He is fighting. He finds it. It inspires the bench.
