Jim Montgomery doesn't mince words for David Pastrnak's contribution to Leafs-Bruins series 

The Toronto Maple Leafs made a huge turnaround with their Game 6 victory over the Boston Bruins, eventually forcing a Game 7 in the first round of their Stanley Cup playoff series.

Bruins head coach Jim Montgomery was not happy with his team’s performance in the 2-1 loss and voiced his frustrations in the post-game presser. In response to a question about the performance of key players like Brad Marchand and David Pastrnak going forward in Game 7, Montgomery was candid in his take:

“Your best players need to be your best players this time of the year. I think the effort is tremendous. They need to come through with some big-time plays and big-time moments. I think Marchand has done that in the series. Pastrnak needs to step up,” Montgomery said.

The Bruins coach acknowledged Marchand's efforts throughout the series but mentioned the need for Pastrnak to step up in crucial moments. Montgomery stressed that during the playoffs, it's essential for the team's best players to deliver significant plays and moments.

So far, David Pastrnak has recorded two goals, two assists and a plus-minus of -1 in six games in the 2024 playoffs. Pastrnak will need to come through for his team at TD Garden on Saturday if the Bruins hope to make it to the next round of the playoffs.

---

Jim Montgomery opens up on Bruins' key shortcomings

During the same interview, the Bruins head coach also addressed their lack of an early lead in the game. In response to questions about the team's performance, Montgomery stressed the need to improve and start stronger:

“You know, it's unacceptable, our start again. We've got to find a way to start on time, and we've just got to be better. Toronto, starting on time, they're getting the advantage, they have the momentum. I thought the last 30 minutes we pushed back really well, but it shouldn't take that long,” Montgomery said.

When questioned about whether the past disappointment of blowing a 3-1 series lead against the Florida Panthers in the first round last year might affect the team's mindset, he was quick with his answer. He mentioned they are not dwelling on past events or future possibilities. Instead, he highlighted the importance of focusing on the present and the game at hand:

“We're not worrying about it. We're not living in the past. We're not living in the future, either. We're living in the present. Right now, we're not happy with our game. We're going to get ready for Game 7, start and go on,” Montgomery said.

When asked about Toronto's performance, he noted that they've been winning more battles and spending more time in the offensive zone, which had limited his team's ability to generate offensive chances in the last two games.

Now Jim Montgomery will need all his key players – including Brad Marchand and David Pastrnak – to deliver their A-game on Saturday if they want to overcome the ghosts of their past.