Greer's Two-Goal Outing Lifts Bruins Over Rangers

BOSTON - A.J. Greer was not prepared to apologize.
Yes, he admitted, his fist-pumping, knee-dropping celebrations might have been a bit intense for an exhibition game. But a goal is a goal and an overtime winner isan overtime winner.
And after all, he's getting to do it with the Spoked-B on his chest - which is, of course, worthy of some elevated elation.

"When I scored that OT goal, maybe I shouldn't have celly-ied that hard. I love scoring goals. And scoring an OT [winner] in Boston - what do you want more?" Greer said with a smile after potting the clinching overtime tally - his second goal of the night - in the Bruins' 3-2 exhibition victory over the New York Rangers on Tuesday night at TD Garden.
"I have fun playing the game. That's the thing - I'm focused, I'm intense, I'm an intense person. But I enjoy what I do. I'm not gonna apologize. But that was definitely a sick reaction from the crowd, and I look forward to doing that again, hopefully."
If his first two preseason performances are any indication, he won't have to hope for more opportunity. Through two exhibition outings, Greer has shown an intriguing blend of size, skill, speed, and shenanigans (more on that later), a combination that could make him a valuable addition to Boston's bottom six.
"It's still early in camp, we have another 10 days still until we start," said Montgomery. "But he's done a great job. If we were starting tomorrow, he's playing."

Greer made a solid first impression in the B's preseason opener on Saturday night in Philadelphia, landing three hits in 9:24 of ice time, while racking up 17 penalty minutes when he dropped the gloves with Hayden Hodgson after the Flyers' forward hit Boston blue liner Josiah Didier awkwardly in the corner.
The 25-year-old, who said he models his game after former Bruins left winger Milan Lucic, followed up his Black & Gold debut with a stellar showing against the Rangers. Skating alongside Jack Studnicka and Marc McLaughlin, Greer - in addition to his two goals - landed a game-high seven hits and tied for a game-high with five shots on goal in 13:27.
"I guess that remains to be seen what else he can give, but what I like is we see a young man who is looking to make the starting lineup from Game 1," said Montgomery. "He's doing everything he can to impress - he's fighting, he's hitting, he's shooting, he gets energy in the building, and he gets energy on our bench, so he's doing a lot of good things."
While it isn't always easy to create a buzz during a preseason contest, Greer did his very best to get TD Garden on Tuesday night, creating a buzz by showing off more of the tenacity and grit that he debuted in Philadelphia - attributes that play quite well with the Bruins faithful.
"Every time I hit someone, it was like, 'Oh, let's go!' I got in the penalty box, people hollering at me, 'Nice goal, nice hits, keep going!' Boston is such a great city," said Greer, who attended Boston University for two years from 2014-16 and is currently finishing up his degree. Greer also attended Kimball Union Academy in New Hampshire from 2012-14.
"Boston people are awesome. They have such an intense energy. I've been to Bruins games before when I was at BU, and it's the same type of thing. To be that energetic at a preseason game it definitely excites you for what's to come."
Greer is no stranger to scoring on Causeway Street, either, having potted a one-timer off a feed from Jack Eichel that gave BU a two-goal lead in an eventual 5-3 victory over North Dakota and clinched a spot in the 2015 National Championship Game at TD Garden.
"I scored one of my biggest goals of my career here against NoDak in the semifinals in the Frozen Four," said Greer. "A one-timer pass from Jack Eichel - I'm not a guy who takes that many one-times, it just happened so quick. It's something I'll never forget."

The 6-foot-3, 210-pounder also played in Boston as a member of the Colorado Avalanche in February 2019, one of his 47 career NHL games over the course of five seasons with the Avs and New Jersey Devils. Despite having collected just two goals and eight points during that span, Greer hopes that the road he has traveled thus far has prepared him for his current challenge.
"I think everything is coming to a peak here," said Greer, who was signed by the B's to a two-year contract with a $762,500 annual cap hit on the opening day of free agency in July. "Everything on and off the ice is coming to fruition. Sometimes it doesn't work out right away, but it's the perseverance. You've gotta see that goal, you've gotta breathe it, you've gotta live it, you've gotta do everything you can to be able to make it.
"The stars line up sometimes, and for me to be given the opportunity here and to be put in a situation where I can show my talents on the ice and play a lot of minutes and do the best that I can…this year, yeah, I feel a lot more confident. Coming into camp, I feel a lot more poised.
"They trusted me with the contract they gave me, and I want to make sure they made the right decision. I know what I'm capable of, and to be given the opportunity, I cherish that, and I'm gonna give back to the game and give my 100 percent and do everything that I can to put myself in that position to succeed."
Greer has also made an impression on his teammates off the ice and has quickly formed a bond with Jack Studnicka, his centerman for much of training camp. After an up-and-down showing in Philadelphia, their chemistry was on full display against the Rangers, as Studnicka picked up the primary assists on both of Greer's tallies.
"We've been skating together, but we actually get along off the ice pretty well. We've been driving to the rink together," said Studnicka. "He's an awesome personality so it's been great getting to know him, and it's translated on the ice which is nice."
Greer reciprocated the praise of the young pivot, while complimenting his effort to set up the goals, the first of which came after a heavy forecheck from Studnicka freed up the puck and allowed the centerman to find his linemate open at the top of the slot. Greer collected the feed and lifted a wrister over the glove of old friend Jaroslav Halak to tie things at 1 at 5:01 of the second.

On the winner, Studnicka delivered a perfect saucer feed across the slot to Greer, who ripped home another wrister blocker-side at 1:12 of overtime to finish off the 2-on-1 and clinch a victory for Black & Gold.
"I understand Studs as a player," said Greer. "I think he's an awesome guy with the puck, and he's well-positioned all the time. So, when you've got a guy like that who you can trust who will be in the positions, sometimes you make those no-look passes. I made two of them today. No-look passes right to him 'cause I knew he was gonna be in that position.
"My success comes also from him. If he's not in the right positions, he's not making those plays…my first goal is all him. That forecheck, he found me in the slot, and I just buried it. That second goal, too. He got up the ice as soon as that D crossed over and gave him some pressure. He found me right on the tape.
"That's stuff that, yes, I finished the goal; yes, I scored. But again, they're two amazing plays from him. A guy that can play under pressure and make those poise decisions."
That rapport is one that Greer is hoping can continue on when the games matter for real. And if it does, it would be a dream come true - even for a kid that grew up in Montreal.
"Being from Montreal, you always watch the Bruins. You look at those teams, and they're so exciting - the Black & Gold," said Greer. "I grew up watching Milan Lucic. There's a lot of Bruins fans in Montreal. I actually try to model my game after him for sure. That energy, physical, put the puck in the net, and will stick up for his teammates at any time.
"That's who I want to be. Going to BU and even prep school at Kimball Union in New Hampshire, you watch the Bruins all the time. Now being here it's definitely full circle."