Bruins Notes: Boston’s ‘Trust’ In Team Leaders Paid Off Vs. Canadiens

The Boston Bruins were pushed to the edge once again, playing in their sixth overtime contest in the last 14 games played Thursday night against the Montreal Canadiens at Centre Bell.

Outside of the first period, in which Boston and Montreal exchanged goals to get on the board, there wasn’t much of any offensive firepower. The Bruins and Canadiens combined to go 0-for-7 on power-play opportunities which, to no surprise, sent both teams into overtime.

At that point, it was up to Boston to find the desperately needed answer.

“I went in the locker room and I got a lot of trust and a lot of belief in our group, especially (in) our leaders,” Bruins head coach Jim Montgomery said after Boston’s 2-1 overtime victory, as seen on NESN’s postgame coverage. “I let (David Pastrnak) and (Charlie McAvoy) talk and I thought their words and the way they led was appropriate. … It felt good because our checking skills got us the turnover that led to the 2-on-1 that ended the game.”

A 7️⃣4️⃣ CELLY SIGN OFF 🗣️ pic.twitter.com/ehxfIIy1PI

— Boston Bruins (@NHLBruins) March 15, 2024

Linus Ullmark wasn’t put to a major test, responsible for keeping 18 Montreal shots off the net, but did Boston’s bid justice. Ullmark held the Canadiens scoreless throughout the second and third periods to keep the Bruins within striking distance — patience which came rewarded by Jake DeBrusk in a timely fashion in overtime.

Just 25 seconds into overtime, DeBrusk capitalized on a 2-on-1 Bruins advantage from a Montreal turnover and netted the game-winner.

“I think it’s one of those games where we just stay with our game,” DeBrusk said postgame, per NESN. “Obviously, it was a little sloppy at times, and games this time of year usually are, but we found a way to win. And to be honest with you, it’s always nice to get an overtime win. It seems like we’ve had 45 overtimes, so hopefully, we can even it out.”

Maintaining poise and defensive focus opened the door for DeBrusk at the perfect time, although that’s easier said than done considering how routinely Boston has undergone an overtime test this season.

Nevertheless, closing out an overtime period in less than a minute signals Boston’s self-awareness of being proactive and urgent as soon as possible to avoid encountering another late-game disaster.

Here are more notes from Thursday night’s Bruins-Canadiens game:

— DeBrusk recorded his third-career overtime game-winner. It was also the sixth-fastest overtime goal scored in Bruins history, just eight seconds behind Glen Murray’s, which took 17 seconds in November 2006.

“It was a great pass and just happy to finish it for the boys,” DeBrusk added.

— In DeBrusk’s last six games, the seven-year veteran has scored three goals and four assists, totaling 17 shots and a plus-four rating.

— Boston’s win improved the team’s record to 39-14-15 and closed a regular-season series win with a 3-0-1 record over the Canadiens.

— The Bruins have played 35% of their first 68 games played this season in overtime, according to NESN’s Adam Pellerin.

— Boston will get two off days before returning to action to host the Philadelphia Flyers on Saturday night. Puck drop from TD Garden is set for 7 p.m. ET, and you can watch the game, along with an hour of pregame coverage, live on NESN.