Boston Bruins head coach Jim Montgomery made a big change in follow on Monday relating to one of many group’s main areas of concern — the facility play.
The Bruins bench boss swapped out Charlie McAvoy from the highest unit in favor of fellow defenseman Hampus Lindholm on the level.
The message to Lindholm was fairly easy — play his sport.
“Be direct like he’s been 5-on-5,” Montgomery instructed reporters at Warrior Ice Area. “I feel he’s an individual on our group that has some offensive confidence proper now. I simply need him to be direct. We discover our energy play is being sluggish, so we simply need him capturing pucks or transferring pucks rapidly.”
Lindholm seems to know the project and is trying ahead to the chance to assist his group.
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“I’m going to maintain taking part in the best way I’ve been taking part in,” Lindholm stated. “Attempting to get numerous pucks to the online. Be a shooter, be a menace up there on the blue line and preserve transferring pucks fast.”
Montgomery believes that if the Bruins can repair their energy play struggles, then it is going to carry over to the opposite areas of their sport. The Black and Gold’s man benefit is ranked twenty ninth within the league with a 12.5% success charge. They went 0-for-2 of their additional time loss to the Ottawa Senators on Saturday night time.
“After reviewing the final sport, there was clearly a lull in our group after not scoring on the facility play,” he stated. “It actually impacts the power-play guys loads as a result of they’re used to getting mojo and swagger from that. You get good offensive touches in there, you get beauty; you’re going to really feel higher about your 5-on-5 play.”
Lindholm stated he has been trying so as to add extra offense to his sport after having a profession 12 months within the 2022-23 season when he registered 53 factors, in comparison with the 26-point output final season.
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“I checked out my sport final 12 months after which the 12 months earlier than,” he stated. “I used to be in just a little totally different position than I used to be final 12 months and possibly this 12 months. However, I’m nonetheless looking for methods to supply.”
With three targets scored this season, Lindholm has already equaled the quantity he scored within the 2023-24 marketing campaign. Montgomery has seen the change in his sport.
“I feel he’s been much more assertive,” Montgomery defined. “He’s being shot-first mentality for certain. I feel that within the different two zones when he strikes the puck, he’s transferring it and becoming a member of (the play). So, when he will get (the puck) he has extra time as a substitute of attempting to be the primary or second forechecker. He’s transferring it and leaping by these guys so when he’s becoming a member of the play, he has extra time.”
