Jim Montgomery has been critical of the team’s practices this season. When he has not been happy with the energy of the sessions, the Bruins’ coach has not hesitated to express his discontent.
However, this was not the case on Thursday.
The B’s ended their four-game losing streak on Wednesday in Buffalo, which may have contributed to the positive atmosphere during practice. Additionally, a large crowd of families filled Warrior Ice Arena for the 40-minute practice, cheering and applauding every move. The presence of fans, especially young ones, can be a motivating factor for players at any level.
“That’s our best practice in a long time,” said Montgomery. “I thought the energy of our fans being there and with the guys wanting to put on a show or whatever it was, we practiced with really good pace and intensity today.”
Weymouth native Charlie Coyle acknowledged that the crowd added pressure to perform well in practice, which he viewed as a positive thing. He also expressed gratitude for the fans’ support and noted that it lifted the team’s energy.
Despite the win in Buffalo, the team still has areas to improve, particularly in their defensive and offensive game. Montgomery emphasized the need to focus on controlling the game defensively and increasing offensive output.
This year’s team is significantly different from the previous season, and Montgomery sees the struggles as a learning experience that will ultimately benefit the team in the long run.
Loose pucks
There are reports of an upcoming call-up for promising prospect Georgii Merkulov, who has been performing well with the Providence Bruins. The team is also monitoring the availability of injured players Matt Grzelcyk and Derek Forbort.