Bruins’ Pastrnak on being benched: ‘I’ve just got to be better’

Boston Bruins star David Pastrnak understands why head coach Jim Montgomery benched him after a bad turnover in Sunday’s 2-0 win over the Seattle Kraken.

After that play late in the second period, Pastrnak did not take a shift for the entire third period in what Montgomery called a “coach’s decision.”

“That was a bad turnover, so how I said, I take responsibility for it,” Pastrnak said on Monday. “Accountability, I guess, is a better word. I just want to move forward. I don’t want to be any distraction to our team.

“The guys know how I feel about them in here, and it was a bad play. So I take accountability, but already moving forward.”

The Bruins won two straight games over the weekend, including a 3-0 win over the Philadelphia Flyers on Saturday. Boston is fourth in the Atlantic Division at 6-6-1 with 13 points on the season.  

Montgomery is satisfied with how Pastrnak responded to being benched on Sunday.

“I’ve said this since the beginning, I’ve said it numerous times, I’m really lucky to work with the leaders I get to work with,” Montgomery said. “I’m very fortunate. In other places, you see coaches that, you know, it’s a big problem, [but] I’m lucky with the accountability that exists in this culture and the leaders that I get to deal with because that allows me to hold everybody accountable.”

Pastrnak, who has six goals and 11 points in 13 games this season, is ready to move forward and get back on track Tuesday night against the Toronto Maple Leafs. Pastrnak ended Toronto’s season last year in the playoffs, scoring the overtime winner in Game 7 to send the Bruins to the second round.

“Honestly, I’ve just got to be better,” Pastrnak said. “You know, [I] take responsibility of being better, but at the same time, I’m just moving forward. Today [I’m] focusing on another game tomorrow, and yesterday was yesterday. I never look back.”