Bruins react to getting booed off ice after ugly loss to Capitals

Bruins

“It’s something I don’t want to hear, because that means we’re not doing our job.”

Jim Montgomery was candid when asked about the boos that cascaded from the TD Garden seats Saturday night.

“I love our fans. “That’s what I think,” said the Boston bench boss. “They have hockey knowledge. “They are not wrong.”

It’s hard to reject that feeling.

Boston’s 3-0 loss to the Capitals on Saturday felt more like a double-digit loss, given the lack of reaction from a Bruins team that also put up a stultifying effort. Tuesday in a 4-1 loss against Calgary.

The pain of suffering a regulation loss against a mediocre squad like the Capitals (23-20-7) is already acute. But the way Boston let two points slip made things miserable on Causeway Street.

Through the first two periods of play, the Bruins only took eight shots on goal. The Capitals? Twenty-three shots on net against Jeremy Swayman.

Even with four power play attempts, including three chances in the final period of play, the Bruins couldn’t generate much against Washington netminder Charlie Lindgren.

A constant hum of boos from the Garden crowd finally erupted into a loud chorus of dismay as the final seconds ticked down on Saturday’s clock.

After the game, several Bruins reacted to the reception they received as they made their way through the tunnel.

“You don’t love it. I have a lot of respect for this organization, for that B with spokes. “We all do it in this room,” Brandon Carlo said. “And I think the culture that’s been established here over the last few years, especially since I’ve been here: You come to work every day.

“And I love the fact that the fans and this organization hold us accountable when we don’t come to work to play, to do our best. So that’s what you want from a fan base. I can’t imagine a better fan base to win in front of. So I respect that, obviously. But it’s something I don’t want to hear, because that means we’re not doing our job.”

“It’s just the standard that exists here. We have that standard,” Charlie Coyle added. “The fans have that standard. They expect a lot and deserve a lot. So yeah, not a proud moment for us, but they deserve it. [for] give our best and that depends on us. And we didn’t give it to him tonight, and it’s a shame.”

Bruins captain Brad Marchand offered sharper commentary on the boos that appeared at the Garden, but acknowledged that Boston’s overall effort fell well short of the standard the team has set so far this season. season.

“They get a fast memory, a short memory. But that’s their right,” Marchand said of the boos. “They pay tickets to come see and they can cheer if they like what they see and boo if they don’t like it. So that’s up to them. Obviously, we know that we have a very passionate sports city and very passionate fans who expect us to win every game. “It’s not going to happen, but they saw the effort and obviously didn’t like it tonight.”

Even with Boston’s impressive 4-0 win over the West-leading Canucks on Thursday, Montgomery acknowledged that the Bruins’ overall effort and tenacity in pucks has been severely lacking since returning from the All-Star break.

“We will change or things will change,” Montgomery said. “It all comes down to whether there is a record between you and me. I want to break your leg to get it. And we don’t have that now, two of the last three games. That’s what it all comes down to. …Unacceptable. “We were just bad.”

The Bruins will have a chance to put Saturday’s game in the rearview mirror on Tuesday when they host the Tampa Bay Lightning at TD Garden.

“There’s no excuse for it,” Coyle said of Boston’s latest work ethic lapses. “I hate even trying to talk about it because it shouldn’t happen. And we have to address that and be better in the next game. We say use it as a learning tool, but we should already know that.

“But yes, it is a matter of work ethic. It’s a question of mentality. We have to bring that. That’s what we expect from ourselves. It’s what fans expect. “That is simply unacceptable.”