Bruins need 'an attitude' to close out Maple Leafs in Game 6

BOSTON -- More than 12 hours had passed since Matthew Knies scored at 2:26 overtime for the Toronto Maple Leafs to defeat the Boston Bruins 2-1, frustrating their chances at closing out the best-of-7 Eastern Conference First Round in five games, and send both teams back to Toronto. 

Coach Jim Montgomery's blood pressure hadn't entirely settled back to normal. 

"I'm still [ticked] off from last night," Montgomery said after an optional practice at Warrior Ice Arena on Wednesday. "Just being honest. I don't understand and don't accept our play last night, so I'm going to be [ticked] off until the puck drops tomorrow night."

That's when the Bruins get a chance, once again, to finish off the Maple Leafs and end the series before it gets to the do-or-die Game 7 in Boston on Saturday. Game 6 is at Scotiabank Arena on Thursday (8 p.m. ET; CBC, TVAS, SN, NESN, TBS, MAX). 

It will have to be a markedly different game for the Bruins. 

They struggled right out of the gate in Game 5 on Tuesday, not showing up mentally or physically for the task ahead and allowing the first goal 5:33 into the opening period. They squandered a chance to end the series in their home building, neither getting many good scoring chances nor sustained time in the offensive zone and relying heavily on the goaltending of Jeremy Swayman. 

It was the same situation from last season, when the Bruins were up 3-1 on the Florida Panthers in the first round before the Panthers came back with three straight wins to advance.

"I have no problem talking about last year because failing or having failures in life and not learning from them is when you can repeat stuff," Montgomery said. "And for me it's picking yourself back up and talking and being honest with each other about where we're at and how we can get better.

"It's an attitude. It's between the ears. There's an attitude you need to have."

The Bruins had a meeting Thursday, one defenseman Charlie McAvoy called "really productive," when they went over the tape from the night before and talked through what needs to change for them to have a chance at the second round.

"It was a lot of things that we needed to hear, needed to see," McAvoy said. "We'll be better for it."

What resonated at the meeting?

"It was about looking in the mirror today and figuring it out as a team, how we're going to be better," McAvoy said. "I think that's the biggest thing, not only are you against your opponent, but you're against human nature too. And all that stuff happens between the ears, so really that's on us to be a mature group here, to realize where we are, but to stay in the moment and stay together."

The focus was internal, on how they needed to get better, and meet the game and the situation. 

"Some of that's physical and some of it's mental," Montgomery said. "Some of it's staying in the moment that we talk about. I don't think we did a good enough job staying in the moment last night. And that's what we're looking for, to get better for next game."

It helps that the Bruins are heading back to Scotiabank Arena, site of two of their best games of the series and where the Maple Leafs have struggled, losing six consecutive playoff games on home ice. Their last win was April 20, 2023, when they defeated the Tampa Bay Lightning 7-2 in Game 2 of the opening round.

"There's a little bit of the mentality of we have to bring our own juice, we have to rely on each other," Montgomery said of why the Bruins have been better in Toronto in this series. "It's kind of like a band of brothers mentality, which is something that I think our team thrives on."

They'll need to find that mentality and quickly, to start on time and bring what they've learned in the past to Game 6. They'll need to put together those physical and mental aspects, holding onto the puck and putting more pucks on goalie Joseph Woll, calming their nerves and just being ready.

At least if they want to avoid coming home for Game 7. 

"You get these opportunities and series, and you have to make the most of them," McAvoy said. "The fourth game is the hardest one to get, but we have some experience in it. For us, it's really about just playing our best game, seeing where the chips fall."