Boston Bruins newcomer Matthew Poitras encountered a demanding sequence of two games, encountering a situation where he didn't play in Thursday's defeat against the Buffalo Sabres and witnessed a decrease in his ice time during Saturday's 5-3 triumph over the Arizona Coyotes at TD Garden.
During the victory against the Coyotes, Bruins' head coach Jim Montgomery strategically chose not to field Poitras in the third period, highlighting the significance of managing the game. Even though Poitras provided an assist in the second period, Montgomery favored other players whom he believed would better contribute to securing the victory.
Despite recognizing Poitras's dedication and his involvement in a significant goal, Montgomery chose to depend on Charlie Coyle and Trent Frederic in the pivotal last period at the center positions. Coyle recorded the second-longest playing time among Bruins forwards, clocking in at 20:17, while Frederic's time on the ice totaled 15:13.
