David Pastrnak Defends Jim Montgomery, Eye-Opening Decision & More

David Pastrnak defends Jim Montgomery following the Bruins Halloween loss against the Hurricanes.

After an embarrassing 8-2 loss to the Carolina Hurricanes on Thursday night, the Boston Bruins headed to Philadelphia where they play the Flyers for the second time in four days on Saturday afternoon. After a loss to Carolina, one Bruins star player stuck up for head coach Jim Montgomery and that's where we'll begin this edition of Boston Bruins News.

David Pastrnak defends Jim Montgomery

Usually when a season starts the way this one has for the Bruins, the first major change is behind the bench, right or wrong. The seat for Montgomery is certainly getting warm if not hot and following the loss to the Hurricanes, Pastrnak defended his coach.

"Monty’s just trying to get us going,'' Pastrnak said. "The mixing lines, it happens. Personally, I have no problem with it. I can read off anybody. Right now, it’s not about the combinations. We are not good enough as a team, and that’s where it starts."

Montgomery has been switching lines up the last couple of weeks and the results haven't been there. Now what? Either his team has tuned him out or they are just not good enough. If there not good enough, it's not the coach who constructs the roster. Just sayin.

Bruins cancel practice in Philadelphia

The Bruins had a practice scheduled for Friday in Philadelphia, but it was canceled in the morning and of course, with the way things are going, it raised some eyebrows. However, according to Steve Conroy of the Boston Herald, the practice session was canceled because Boston will be playing their third game in four days in a third different city. Chalk that up as rest or any other way you want to see it right now with their struggles.

Former Bruins defenseman suffers scary injury

From 2020-21 through the 2022-23 season, Mike Reilly played 95 games for the Boston Bruins, which included 70 games in 2021-22. He had four goals and 22 assists with the Black and Gold before leaving in free agency in 2022-23 for the Florida Panthers and now he's in Year 2 with the New York Islanders.

Friday night in the Islanders' 4-3 loss to the Buffalo Sabres on the road, the former Boston blue liner was injured in the second period when he took a big hit from the Buffalo's Jordan Greenway and appeared to hit his head on the ice. Reilly was down on the ice for several minutes before being helped to the locker room. Greenway was given a five-minute major, but the penalty was reduced upon a review.