Bruins avoid blowing another 3

BOSTON (AP) — Boston Bruins coach Jim Montgomery wanted to do something different with his team heading into a first-round Game 7 matchup with the Toronto Maple Leafs.

The Bruins were facing the prospect of blowing back-to-back 3-1 leads in the opening round and a sense of impending doom hung over the team.

Montgomery hoped a little change of scenery might do the trick. So instead of sleeping in their own beads ahead of the winner-take-all game Saturday night, they stayed at a hotel and took buses to TD Garden.

“The thinking was, we’re 2-5 at home the last two years in the playoffs, and what’s going to allow us to eliminate the noise?” Montgomery said.

He thought back to a visit he made to the New England Patriots’ spring minicamp last year. There he spoke with former coach Bill Belichick about the importance of limiting distractions.