Bruins’ Jim Montgomery Applauds ‘Little Bugger’ Matthew Poitras

Matthew Poitras was a key contributor for the Bruins in the final two games of their West Coast road trip, and Jim Montgomery sensed increasing confidence from the 19-year-old during the back-to-back set.

The 2022 second-round pick scored his first two goals of his NHL career when Boston beat the Anaheim Ducks at Honda Center last Sunday. The performance came after a disappointing outing against the San Jose Sharks last Thursday, and Poitras showed how he can elevate Boston’s offense, especially when its stars have a down night.

“It relaxes him,” Montgomery told reporters on what Poitras’ two-goal performance does for the center, per team-provided video. “I think you kind of get the feeling: ‘Hey, not only can I play in the NHL, but I can play well in the NHL.’ And you can see his confidence and his swagger in him (Tuesday) on the ice. He’s not worrying about every little pass like he was previously, trying to be perfect.”

The Bruins have four games, including Tuesday’s matchup against the Chicago Blackhawks, to determine if they want to start his entry-level contract. The 82-game regular season can be a grind on any player, but Poitras’ poise in a back-to-back road set showed he’s capable of handling the pressure.

“I think he makes it through because he’s a competitive little bugger,” Montgomery said. “He really gets out there, and he competes. And he wants the puck. Good hockey players want the puck, and he wants it all the time.”

If Poitras sticks with Boston, that would solidify his line with Jake DeBrusk and Morgan Geekie. It also would allow James van Riemsdyk, Charlie Coyle and Trent Frederic to stick together, and it would allow Montgomery to roll out a first line of Brad Marchand, Pavel Zacha and David Pastrnak.

Boston closes out its road trip Tuesday when it plays the Blackhawks at United Center. Puck drop is scheduled at 8:30 p.m. ET on ESPN.