Bruins head coach Jim Montgomery makes headlines again after benching his superstar forward
Boston Bruins head coach Jim Montgomery is once again making headlines in the NHL after his controversial decision to bench his superstar forward.
The Bruins claimed a solid 2-0 win over the Seattle Kraken on Sunday, November 3, but the game wasn't without drama. Bruins head coach Jim Montgomery made the surprising decision to bench star player David Pastrnak for the entire third period.
After the game, Montgomery offered no details about the move.
Pastrnak, the Bruins' leading scorer with 11 points in 12 games, played 14 minutes and 21 seconds across the first two periods, tallying seven shots, two giveaways, and a blocked shot. Despite his effort, he went without a goal for the third game in a row, which may have factored into Montgomery's choice.
This isn't the first time Montgomery has challenged Pastrnak. In last season's first-round playoff series against the Toronto Maple Leafs, Montgomery publicly urged Pastrnak to elevate his play after a quiet Game 6. The forward responded by scoring the overtime winner in Game 7 to secure the series for Boston showing he can bounce back under pressure.
The Bruins relied on goals from Justin Brazeau & Charlie Coyle to secure the victory over Seattle. However all eyes will be on Pastrnak to see how he responds to this benching in future games. For Bruins fans the decision highlights Montgomery's willingness to hold even his top players accountable keeping standards high as the team pushes through the season.
