When you’re rolling just like the Bruins have been heading into Saturday’s sport towards the Chicago Blackhawks – winners of 15 of their first 17 video games — the nightly motivation can turn into a little bit extra elusive.
But the B’s did have one thing at stake going towards the ‘Hawks. Sitting at 10-0 at home to start the season, they had a chance to tie the record held by the 1963-64 Blackhawks and last season’s Florida Panthers for many residence wins to begin a season.
Whether they have been in a position to attain it or not, these little milestones or benchmarks can function a software to maintain a staff targeted, particularly one which’s on a roll.
“It is an opportunity to motivate, in the sense that here’s an opportunity to tie a record that’s part of the history of the NHL, right?” stated coach Jim Montgomery after the staff’s non-obligatory morning skate on Saturday. “And because of that, we don’t worry about tying the record, but what it does is if you put yourself in the playoffs, you’ve got to win a game when you’re 3-2. You don’t get focused on the result, you really start to immerse yourself in the process. And the process, if it’s really good, allows us to stay in the moment. And a lot of times, when you’re losing a lot or you’re winning a lot, you lose the staying-in-the-moment (component) and you think about the past occurring in the future. And both create anxiety. So we’re trying to focus and stay in the moment and this is an opportunity that provides us that.”
Hampus Lindholm echoed a few of what Montgomery stated,
“I don’t think this group cares a whole lot about (the record), it’s more about the process and getting better in here,” stated the defenseman. “Obviously, it would be something that would be fun to accomplish. But it would be one of those things along the way that would be like a little tip of the cap, but we just want to focus on getting better and improving every because it’s going to be a long year. I think that’s what’s fun about this group, that’s the main focus and those (records) come along when you have that mindset.”
In immediately’s NHL, each rink is the standardized 200 x 85, versus the previous days when some arenas, most notably the previous Boston, had sure quirks of their design. So to get an actual residence ice benefit, groups are reliant totally on the individuals who purchase the tickets.
“It’s the atmosphere in certain buildings, and we’re one of the buildings that has it,” stated Montgomery. “I think our fanatical fans give us an extra edge. The only thing I wish is that they played that song “Shipping Up to Boston” within the first or the second (interval) as an alternative of within the final six minutes. Guess I ought to speak to sport ops.”
Lindholm would are available right here annually as an Anaheim Duck and he can attest that it’s not a simple constructing to play in.
“It’s always been known about coming to Boston when I (was with Anaheim). It hasn’t been a place where you come for two free points. You’ve had to battle for that, and we want to keep harping on that for sure,” stated Lindholm…
Lindholm, in the meantime, entered Saturday’s sport within the thick of the Norris Trophy race. He was main the league in plus/minus at plus-20 and was fourth in scoring (4-14-18 totals in 17 video games), trailing solely Erik Karlsson, Adam Fox and Rasmus Dahlin.
The 28-year-old Swede is already greater than midway to his profession excessive in factors, which he achieved in his second season in Anaheim with 7-27-34 totals.
He feels that his leap in factors is because of a quantity issues. The go-go fashion below Jim Montgomery, the place the defensemen are extra free to make their very own reads and leap into the play within the offensive zone, is a giant a part of it. He additionally felt his sport on the upswing in Anaheim when the franchise was trending towards a rebuild.
“The last two years, I’d been feeling good about my game but maybe the team was going in a different direction with guys getting older and leaving the team,” stated Lindholm. “It’s like anything in life. It might look like (a big jump) now but you’ve been working hard for it.”…
Montgomery determined to offer the scorching scorching Linus Ullmark the evening off and getting Jeremy Swayman again in motion after his knee harm that had saved him out nearly three weeks. But lengthy gone are the times when goalie selections fall fully on the pinnacle coach. Montgomery not solely leans closely on goalie coach Bob Essensa, however the coaching workers may also have enter.
“We consult the training staff all the time,” stated Montgomery. “One thing I can say is the communication here, if you’re looking at a pyramid, the communication at every level is incredible from the top down. It’s a well-oiled machine. There’s no loops in the communication.”
Source: www.bostonherald.com