Bruins’ Jim Montgomery accepts blame for humiliating Game 3 loss to Panthers

The Bruins lost a big piece to their puzzle on Friday night. Team captain Brad Marchand left Game 3 after taking a hit from Panthers forward Sam Bennett. Marchand continues playing shortly after the hit. But he did not take a shift in the third period due to an upper-body injury.

Montgomery did not have an update on the Halifax native following the game. He said the team would have more information about the severity of the injury on Saturday. But he did speak to the affect Marchand’s absence had on his teammates. “I thought we rallied because of our captain,” he said, via ESPN. “I thought our players all elevated their games and we started competing like Brad Marchand would have.”

Boston’s rally in Game 3 does back this point up. The Bruins had struggled offensively for most of the game, but they did break through in the third. Jakub Lauko scored to cut Boston’s deficit to 4-1 in the final frame. Then, Jake DeBrusk scored his fifth of the playoffs to make it a two-goal game. The Panthers had scored 10 straight goals before these markers.

Marchand has played well for the most part in the Stanley Cup Playoffs. He recorded eight points in the first four games against the Toronto Maple Leafs in round one. And in the first two games against Florida, he recorded a point in each contest. Overall, Marchand has three goals and 10 points in the postseason.

Bruins players also take responsibility

Jim Montgomery accepted the blame to the media. However, he was not alone in taking responsibility for their poor performance in Game 3 against the Panthers. DeBrusk told reporters that the players also take on some of the blame for this result.

“We’re the ones that are out there. We’re the ones that are playing the game. He can put any plan that he thinks it’s going to help us out, but we’ve got to execute,” the Bruins forward said, via ESPN. “It’s about making the right one or making the right decisions and obviously we didn’t do that. Against a team like that, you have to play a pretty perfect game. And the last two games you’ve seen what happens when we don’t.”

Montgomery did not mention specific changes he would make ahead of Game 4. But he and his players understand that things have to change. If they don’t, Boston may fall into a hole they can’t climb out of. And that would be another disappointing end in the postseason for this talented group of players.