Irritated Jim Montgomery Snaps After Bruins Embarrassing Loss to Senators

The first month of the 2024-25 season has been a frustrating one for the Boston Bruins. Sitting at 7-7-2, they appear to be stuck in the middle of nowhere and going nowhere fast. There have been many times this season where you could say that they have hit rock-bottom and Saturday night against the Ottawa Senators at the TD Garden, you can add the next chapter.

Tied 2-2 entering the third period against a team that was 1-5-0 on the road, the Bruins accomplished something you would never have expected them to. They failed to register a shot on former teammate Linus Ullmark in the final 20 minutes. That's right, ZERO shots on the net. Even in this day and age in the NHL (or any hockey league) that's very hard to accomplish. Not for this year's version of the Boston Bruins. Following the game, third-year head coach Jim Montgomery was looking for answers.

Angry Jim Montgomery searching for answers

To compound matters, Boston lost, 3-2, in overtime after Ullmark made a big pad save on Elias Lindholm seconds into overtime before Brady Tkachuk went the other way and beat Jeremy Swayman for the game-winner. Montgomery was clearly frustrated following the game.

It’s up for you guys to figure that out and come up with a reason. We just weren't good enough. You guys can write what you guys think is the malaise on the team and what's going wrong. We're just not playing good enough.

They are not playing well enough, but after 16 games, you have to wonder if his message is getting through to his team. Or, it's fair to ask if it is getting through and the players are just not listening. Clearly the Black and Gold have not played the style and way that Montgomery wants his team to play this year and the results speak for themselves.

Montgomery has tried just about everything a head coach can. He's mixed up lines, mixed up defensive pairings, made players healthy scratches, called out his players publicily and nothing has worked. Montgomery generally, win or lose, takes more questions than he did on Saturday night and his abrupt ending to his press conference looks like some frustrated, looking for answers and possibly on the hot seat?

Things are not going to get easier this week with road games against the St. Louis Blues and Dallas Stars followed by a game at home on Saturday afternoon against the Blues. By then, changes could be coming whether it's in terms of the Black and Gold climbing up the standings with wins or behind the bench. Clearly, something is missing, Montgomery can't figure it out, and the frustration is not good.