Report: Jim Montgomery's job potentially in danger?

In a repeat of last season's scenario, the Bruins have once again watched a promising 3-1 lead in their opening round series vanish, with their opponent seizing all the momentum. Last year, it was the Florida Panthers; this time around, it's their longstanding Original 6 and divisional rival, the Toronto Maple Leafs.

The series will be decided tomorrow night in Game 7 at Boston's TD Garden. And if the Bruins fail to advance, it will mean they've now lost six straight times when they've had a chance to advance to Round 2. Could that cost head coach Jim Montgomery his job? 

Don't be surprised to see that happen, according to Sportsnet NHL Insider Elliotte Friedman in his latest "32 Thoughts" podcast.

“We’ve talked a lot about the consequences of defeat in Toronto; it’s not as if there might not be consequences for Boston too,” Friedman explained. “Boston is a very demanding organization. They expect greatness out of their Bruins and last year was a big upset and I think it shocked everybody, and upsets can happen, but I think if we have this two years in a row – 3-1 up, lose; 3-1 up, lose – Boston, to me, the organization of the Jacobs family and Cam Neely in particular – I think Don Sweeney is intense but a very level-headed guy – but the Jacobs family and Cam Neely in particular, I don’t see them taking this easily and ‘Nothing to see here’ and I just don’t believe that. So, I think there’s a lot riding for the Bruins too.”

“It’s different in the playoffs when people game-plan for you,” Friedman pointed out. “In the regular season, Boston’s a great team. They play smart; they rarely beat themselves. They’re talented and intelligent and that’s going to win you a lot of games. They’ve got good goaltending too. But where they think the difference is, is when it’s one team for seven games. If they can gameplan for what you do No. 1, and No. 2 if they’re – especially in Boston’s case, a couple of people said to me – is that if you’re disciplined defensively, for all of Boston’s hard work and for all of Boston’s brains, how many natural goalscorers do they actually have?

Needless to say, there is plenty on the line for both teams tomorrow night, but perhaps especially for the Bruins and head coach Jim Montgomery.