Bruins Coach Jim Montgomery Makes Eye-Opening Change Ahead of Utah Hockey Club Game

Saturday night, the Boston Bruins get the first look at the Utah Hockey Club at the Delta Center. It's the second game of a three-game road trip for the Black and Gold who opened the trip Wednesday night with a 5-3 win over the Colorado Avalanche in Denver.

Facing their second game on the trip, the Bruins held a morning skate at the Delta Center, and head coach Jim Montgomery made one change to his lines and it was a little eye-opening. It appears that a youngster is getting bumped up from the bottom six to the top six against the Utah Hockey Club.

Jim Montgomery shifts Justin Brazeau up to the second line

Montgomery moved Justin Brazeau up from the third line to the second line with captain Brad Marchand and center Charlie Coyle. With Brazeau moving up, it appears that Morgan Geekie will be sliding down to the second line with Trent Frederic and Matthew Poitras. This is a move most likely to get Brazeau going this season as he was a healthy scratch in the win over the Avalanche Wednesday night.

“I just have to do my best to complement them, they’re obviously great players, who do a lot of special things with the puck,” said Brazeau. “I think I’ve just got to get in on the forecheck, get pucks back to them and go to the net and try to open up some lanes for them to make some stuff happen.”

Brazeau has one assist in four games this season, so clearly his healthy scratch against Colorado was to give him a reset. He knows what moving up to the second line means playing with two good players and now it's on him to go out and find his game again playing with two players who can help him find it. He's worth keeping an eye on against the Utah Hockey Club.