Jim Montgomery Sensed Jake DeBrusk’s ‘Frustration’ In Bruins OT Loss Vs. Wild

Jake DeBrusk is one of the worst offensive slumps of his career with the Boston Bruins. The numbers simply just aren’t there.

The forward has lit the lamp just four times in 29 games this season and sometimes the risks DeBrusk takes during a game are a product of his frustration. Bruins head coach Jim Montgomery believes that’s what happened during the overtime loss to the Minnesota Wild on Tuesday night.

“I think it’s also a product from within that game,” Montgomery told reporters following Bruins’ practice at Warrior Ice Arena on Thursday, per team-provided video. “He had opportunities, like literally the 3-on-3 shift before he took a shot from a real good area, and he sailed it just over the crossbar.”

On DeBrusk’s next shift, he brought the puck up along the left side of the ice before unleashing a shot wide right past Marc Andre-Fleury and the Minnesota net with Charlie Coyle driving toward the net looking for a rebound.

With both DeBrusk and Coyle caught below the goal line, the Wild turned up ice on a 3-on-1 rush with Matt Grzelcyk as the lone skater defending the play. With too much ice, Kirill Kaprizov beat Linus Ullmark to end the game, lifting the Wild 4-3 over the Bruins.

“I could sense his frustration,” Montgomery said. “But, I thought he had a really good game. His speed was very noticeable. He had the other team on their heels, and he was creating opportunities not only for himself but for his linemates.

“I felt he was on the verge, then that factors into it, right? He just missed, so now he’s not as patient, and he lets a shot go. I’ve talked to him. That’s not good game management 3-on-3.”

Montgomery said the only way to combat the frustration is when the puck goes in the net.

“It has to go in. It consumes you,” Montgomery explained. “No different than a baseball player or a quarterback that hasn’t thrown a touchdown in three quarters. It’s your job. And when it’s your jog, it consumes you.”

DeBrusk said back in November that he doesn’t hate how he has been playing this season, just frustrated he hasn’t been able to bury the puck like he has in the past. He’ll get the opportunity to turn things around when the Bruins suit up against the Winnipeg Jets on Friday night.