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       Jim Montgomery makes gutsy decision to help the Bruins win Game 1 over
       the Panthers
        
 (HTM) Source
        
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       In their first-round playoff series win over the Toronto Maple Leafs,
       Boston Bruins coach Jim Montgomery got some criticism for some of his
       decisions. After grabbing a 3-1 series lead, the Black and Gold
       allowed their Atlantic Division rivals back in the series and needed a
       David Pastrnak overtime goal in Game 7 to advance.Â
        
       Last season against the Florida Panthers in the opening round,
       Montgomery made some questionable decisions pregame and in-game during
       Boston’s historic collapse from holding a 3-1 series advantage to
       lose in seven games. Monday night, the Bruins began a second-round
       series with the Panthers, a team that entered Game 1 with a week off,
       and it’s safe to say that an in-game decision by Boston’s second-
       year coach was his best one over the last two springs.
        
       After falling behind 1-0 in the second period on a Matthew Tkachuk
       goal, the Bruins responded with three goals in the final 6:47 of the
       period by Morgan Geekie, Mason Lohrei, and Brandon Carlo to take a 3-1
       after 40 minutes. In the third period, Florida came out with pressure
       and overwhelmed Boston, to say the least.
        
       Florida, aided by a power play early in the period, began the final 20
       minutes outshooting the Bruins, 11-1, with the only Black and Gold
       shot coming on a Pastrnak breakaway. Sensing his team was in trouble
       right before the under-14 media timeout in the period, Montgomery used
       his timeout to settle down his team. Even captain Brad Marchand had
       some things to say.
        
       It turned out to be a move that likely saved the game as shortly
       after, Justin Brazeau scored his first career playoff goal on a
       breakaway for a commanding 4-1 lead before Jake DeBrusk sealed the 5-1
       win with an empty-net goal.
        
       Momentum was clearly on Florida’s side and it felt like if they
       found a way to beat Jeremy Swayman they were going to take advantage
       of Boston playing less than 48 hours after Game 7 against the Maple
       Leafs. Instead, Montgomery took advantage of a stop in play, and
       rather than waiting until the media timeout, he used his and his team
       responded in the best way possible to close out Game 1.
        
        
        
        
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