Bruins’ Jim Montgomery Was Nervous Because Of This Player In All-Star Game
In the All-Star Game Final between Team Matthews and Team McDavid, Boston Bruins head coach Jim Montgomery admitted he feared his superstar forward David Pastrnak since they were on opposing sides during the matchup. “You know what? He just had me nervous every time he touched the puck,” Montgomery told reporters, per the team. “Did […]
In the All-Star Game Final between Team Matthews and Team McDavid, Boston Bruins head coach Jim Montgomery admitted he feared his superstar forward David Pastrnak since they were on opposing sides during the matchup.
“You know what? He just had me nervous every time he touched the puck,” Montgomery told reporters, per the team. “Did you see those three (Pastrnak, Connor McDavid and Leon Draisaitl) together? Oh my God.”
With Team Matthews in the lead, Montgomery noticed a shift in Pastrnak and his linemates’ game.
“They went out there when we went up a goal, and they went to another level, the speed of the game,” Montgomery explained.
Coaching against Pastrnak wasn’t the only oddity of the night for Montgomery. As the bench boss for Team Matthews, Montgomery was calling the lines for a team with four Toronto Maple Leafs skaters.
“I think we all know that this is special to be here,” Montgomery said. “Auston (Matthews) and Mitch Marner were incredible. They were the two throwing (William) Nylander and (Morgan Rielly) were great too, but those two I talked to the most.
Montgomery added: “I think it’s great that there was four Leafs here. I think it’s good for hockey and obviously great for the City of Toronto.”
Of the four Toronto players, Montgomery admitted it was easy to coach Matthews.
“Easy. Just tell him to go over, and he scores,” Montgomery said of Matthews. “Go over the boards. Again. Again.”
Montgomery is taking one thing back to Boston with him — the win over Pastrnak and Team McDavid.
“I’m gonna have bragging rights over Pasta and I’m not going to let him live it down,” Montgomery said. “Pasta always has pep in his step. He loves to play the game, and you can see it on his face when he plays. He loves playing the game of hockey.
Pastrnak earned bragging rights over Bruins goalie Jeremy Swayman when he scored on the Boston netminder in the shootout of the first-round game between Team McDavid and Team MacKinnon.