Jim Montgomery Gives Advice To Matt Poitras After Muted Outing

Jim Montgomery switched up his lines Thursday night to find an offensive spark, which could have been a big opportunity for Matthew Poitras, but the Bruins rookie showed there’s still room for improvement.

Boston handled the San Jose Sharks at SAP Center with a 3-1 win to remain unbeaten through the first three games of the season. Montgomery made multiple changes throughout the matchup as he and captain Brad Marchand aimed to shake up the team’s inconsistent offense.

Poitras started the game with Marchand and Morgan Geekie on the top line, but the 19-year-old was a minus-1 in 12:18 minutes of ice time, and he was 4-of-9 on his faceoffs.

The Bruins have a short window at the beginning of the season before the clock starts on Poitras’ entry-level contract, which means it’s up to the rookie to prove he is worthy of NHL-level minutes. But Montgomery had simple advice for the 2022 second-round pick.

“That in order to be a good pro, you learn from the game, move on, get ready for the next one,” Montgomery told reporters Thursday, per Eric Russo of BostonBruins.com. “We’re gonna get a real good test when you go to LA here (on Saturday night).”

Poitras and fellow rookie Johnny Beecher showed potential in the season-opener of what they can bring to Boston, but the key for every NHL player is consistency and the ability to bring your best throughout an 82-game season.

It’s unknown as of Friday morning if Montgomery will continue to shift lines or if Poitras will get another chance at the first line, but a matchup against a 2-1-1 Los Angeles Kings side should be a good test for Poitras.