Montgomery Teams Up with Bieber, Matthews for All-Star Game Title

TORONTO – Jim Montgomery is bringing home bragging rights.

Boston’s bench boss and his son, Colin – along with global pop icon Justin Bieber – helped Team Matthews to the All-Star Game crown on Saturday evening at Scotiabank Arena with a 7-4 win over David Pastrnak and Team McDavid.

“I’m gonna have bragging rights over Pasta and I’m not gonna let him live it down,” Montgomery quipped after his second straight All-Star Game victory as he sat alongside his son at the podium.

Pastrnak said the chirping began even before the title game.

“That was fun,” he said. “Obviously, we run into each other in the hallway before the game and I walked with the head down but obviously Monty couldn’t help himself and had to say something. It was fun. Good thing is one of us would win. Good for him, they got it done.”

Montgomery was side by side with Bieber throughout both rounds of the All-Star Game 3-on-3 tournament and was impressed with the superstar’s intensity.

“The energy he had, he was right into it,” said Montgomery. “I didn’t know what to expect. You could tell he loves the game. He was recognizing the real creative plays and talking out loud about them. Obviously a born and bred Canadian, he played it growing up, so he understood the intricacies of the game when someone makes a real intelligent play.

“It was great being around him. He was so into it. He had real emotion. I knew he would be into it and he was.”

Montgomery’s one disappointment? He didn’t have the chance to wear Bieber’s red and white polka dot parka that was taking the internet by storm during the game.

“I wanted to wear it in the second half, but I guess he didn’t want to share it,” Montgomery said with a smile. “I loved the coat, I wanted to wear it. I have no [fashion] look so I might as well be loud with my clothing.”

Pastrnak had the chance to meet Bieber and take a picture with him before the game, nearly five years after his famous “not today Justin” comment on the singer’s Instagram post that was praying for a Maple Leafs win in Game 7 of the first round in 2019.

“That was cool,” said the winger. “It’s an amazing, talented person. Obviously, a fan of his music. He’s a Leafs fan, so that’s a little step back but it was fun. Glad I was able to get a picture with him in the room and on the ice so definitely special. I think all the players appreciate him being a hockey fan because, obviously, it helps our game when a person like this appreciates what we do. It’s fun to see and we’re happy that he was able to make time for the All-Stars and same with all the other celebrities. Big thanks for them.”

In the opening game of the All-Star tourney on Saturday afternoon, Pastrnak notched a goal and an assist in regulation, before beating teammate Jeremy Swayman with his signature shootout move to lift Team McDavid to a 4-3 win over Team MacKinnon.

“It was great. He’s got a couple go-to moves,” said Swayman. “I thought he was gonna go glove-side. He pulled a Jake DeBrusk on me. It was a good move. I was pleasantly surprised. It’s good, I like it when he does that for our team. It’s still working.

“He’s got a really good move there where he can deceive the goalie with a glove shot or a high blocker shot. Him and I actually work on that quite a bit, can’t believe he got me today. It’s a good thing for him and our team moving forward, that’s for sure.”

“He knows all my moves,” added Pastrnak. “He said it was a little JD move, coming off the side and making it a little softer. It was fun. I feel good against Sway. One game, I got a hat trick in World Championships and today I got two goals. Feeling confident.”

With Team McDavid trailing, 3-1, late in regulation, Pastrnak – playing on a line with Edmonton’s Connor McDavid and Leon Draisaitl – cut the deficit to one with a snipe from the high slot with 31 seconds remaining. He then fed McDavid with a cross-slot feed to tie things up with 6 seconds to go.

“I did get him on the high glove,” said Pastrnak. “I don’t know if he let me score that. He knows I shoot there on him in practice. I haven’t talked to him much about it. It seemed too easy for Sway on that shot.”

Swayman did stone Pastrnak on a breakaway with a right pad save earlier in regulation with Team MacKinnon holding a 2-1 lead.

“I got him on a breakaway during the game, so we can even it out,” said Swayman. “It was fun. It’s awesome to see him have success.”

“I wanted to score [on Swayman] so bad,” added Pastrnak. “I was gonna try everything I can to score. I had the breakaway. I was hoping [Sidney Crosby] was gonna let me go, but he kind of backchecked me. I was ready for it and I ran out of space, so he got me on that one. I was a little worried that that was it, that was my chance.”

During the All-Star Game Final between Team Matthews and Team MacKinnon, Pastrnak added another goal to tie things, 2-2, with 1:52 left in the first when he buried one off a faceoff.

“[Pastrnak] had me nervous every time he touched the puck,” said Montgomery. "You see those three [Pastrnak, McDavid, and Draisaitl] together? Oh, my God. They went out there with five minutes left, it went to another level, the speed of the game.”