BOSTON — Coach Jim Montgomery took responsibility for the Boston Bruins' 2-1 series loss to the Florida Panthers after a 6-2 loss in Game 3 on Friday night at TD Garden.
“Our execution the last two games just hasn't been good enough and that's my fault. I have to get better,” Montgomery said.
In particular, the coach accepted blame for the Bruins' slow start in Game 3, which saw them outshot 13-3 in the first period and 24-8 when the Panthers had built a 3-0 lead in the first period. second. It was a start that calmed the rowdy Boston crowd.
“We've had a couple games where we started slow,” Montgomery said. “We haven't generated much offense. I have to give the players a better game plan. Florida was significantly better than us. I have to come up with a better game plan.”
The Bruins showed no life until the third period, when center Jakub Lauko scored to cut the deficit to 4-1 and snap a streak of 10 consecutive goals by the Panthers in the series. Boston pulled within 4-2, but Florida's defense and goalie Sergei Bobrovsky (15 saves) stopped the comeback.
Boston's late-game comeback came after they lost captain Brad Marchand to an upper-body injury. Marchand skated eight shifts in the first period and seven in the second, accumulating 10:51 of ice time before departing for good. He did not register any shots on goal.
Montgomery said the Bruins will know more about their captain's status on Saturday. But he said Marchand's absence could have provided inspiration for his players in the third period.
“I thought we bounced back because of our captain,” he said. “I thought all of our players stepped up their game and we started competing like Brad Marchand would have.”
Defenseman Brandon Carlo said winger David Pastrnak, defenseman Charlie McAvoy and winger Pat Maroon talked more than usual in the third period to make up for Marchand's absence.
“I think we did a good job generating some things, and that's the key they brought to the game for us,” he said.
The Panthers took control on the power play. Boston rookie defenseman Mason Lohrei was double fouled for high stick at 14:37 of the second period. Vladimir Tarasenko and Carter Verhaeghe scored on the power plays that made it 3-0.
Just 3:09 into the third period, defenseman Brandon Montour beat Jeremy Swayman (27 saves) for another power-play goal that made it 4-0. The Panthers were 4 of 6 with the man advantage.
“I think they made adjustments. They have a lot of really good players. But I still have confidence in our penalty taker,” said forward Jake DeBrusk, one of Boston's penalty takers. “Honestly, we have to stay out of it [penalty] box. “It doesn't matter what we think of the referees or what's going on.”
But DeBrusk didn't believe the Game 3 loss fell on his coach, no matter how much blame Montgomery took.
“I think it goes both ways. We're the ones out there. We're the ones playing the game. He can put whatever plan he thinks will help us, but we have to execute,” DeBrusk said. “It's about making the right decision 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 in the last two games you've seen what happens when you don't do that.”
Game 4 is Sunday night in Boston.
Montgomery, who said he had to go back to the drawing board to find a way to tie the series together, again blamed the loss on himself.
“It's too early to be able to talk about changes,” he said. “We have to do our due diligence and look at the game again and see who's executing and who's playing with effort. But it's not good enough. We didn't play well enough. That's why I take responsibility.”
