Jim Montgomery Believes This Bruins Forward’s Best Game Came Vs. Vegas

The Bruins snapped their three-game losing streak with a win over the Golden Knights on Thursday night, and head coach Jim Montgomery highlighted one forward who had a huge game.

Boston beat Vegas, 5-4, in a thrilling contest that ended with Mason Lorehi scoring the go-ahead goal with less than five minutes left in the matchup at TD Garden.

Jakub Lauko helped put the Bruins ahead in the first period with a flashy assist on a Jesper Boqvist goal. Lauko was inserted into the lineup after Anthony Richard was assigned to Providence, and “Grapes” made sure to reward the coaching staff’s belief in him.

“Really happy with Lauko (Thursday) night,” Jim Montgomery told reporters, per Bruins video. “I thought it was probably his best all-around game of the year and a lot of what we saw from him game in and game out last year. Hopefully, that gives him the confidence to be like, ‘I’m back, and I’m going to assert myself,’ because his grit, his sandpaper combined with his speed and his skill is something that’s much needed on the fourth line.”

The assist was Lauko’s sixth of the season and his two goals put him at eight points on the season.

Boston heads to New York to take on the Islanders on Saturday to begin a two-game road trip. Puck drop for the matchup is scheduled at 7:30 p.m. ET, and you can catch all the action on NESN starting at 6:30 p.m.