Bruins Notes: Getting Revenge Vs. Jets ‘Motivating’ For Boston

The Boston Bruins needed to undergo an intense, playoff-like, defensive battle with the Winnipeg Jets on Monday night to push their four-game winning streak to five.

Boston made it away with a 4-1 victory, but the scoring difference doesn’t speak to how much of a nail-bitter the contest amounted to. Not to mention the Bruins had plenty of reason to take the ice with a vengeful mindset.

During the last Bruins-Jets meeting on Dec. 12, Winnipeg handed Boston a slanted 5-1 defeat, which Montgomery and the team hadn’t forgotten about.

“They embarrassed us last time we were in Winnipeg, and we have a lot of proud guys that have represented the Bruins for a long time in a real good way,” Bruins head coach Jim Montgomery said, per Scott McLaughlin of WEEI. “I think the opportunity to get back at them was something that was motivating.”

“We really wanted to have great puck support and fight for every foot of ice and make sure we’re advancing north and making them defend,” Montgomery added, as seen on NESN’s postgame coverage.

Aside from a first-period goal from Winnipeg’s Vladislav Namestnikov, the Jets were put to sleep offensively. Winnipeg rarely created scoring chances as Boston’s defense held the Jets to just 10 shots on goal heading into the third period.

“For the majority of the game, very pleased with our forecheck and our commitment of putting it in behind them and going to work. Cause that’s not an easy way to play, but that is our team identity,” Montgomery added, per NESN. “… I just liked the way we controlled our breakout and had poise coming out of our end.”

Here are more notes from Monday night’s Bruins-Jets game:

— The Bruins became the first team in the NHL to net three-plus goals against the Jets in Winnipeg’s last 34 games played.

— Jeremy Swayman held Winnipeg scoreless in the final two periods, finishing with 20 total saves in his first matchup with the Jets since surrendering five goals in December.

“Those guys did such a great job in front of me making my job easy,” Swayman said postgame, per NESN.

— Boston is 19-1-1 in its last 21 home games against Winnipeg, scoring 3.5 goals through the stretch with a plus-29 goal differential.

— The Black and Gold improved to 16-3-3 at home this season.

— The Bruins return to the ice on Wednesday night, continuing their five-game homestand and hosting the Carolina Hurricanes. Puck drop from TD Garden is set for 7:30 p.m. ET, and you can watch the game, plus an hour of pregame coverage, live on NESN.