You’ll never see Matt Falconer’s name on the score sheet, but there is no doubting the impact he has on the Boston Bruins.
By the unofficial numbers, he has at least four assists, and all have come at crucial times. The reason: Falconer is the assistant equipment manager, and one of his duties is to make sure that when a player breaks a stick, he is there immediately for the stick exchange.
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Every team has someone assigned to the task, but Bruins players swear he is second to none in his ability to make sure a player has the proper tool for the job at a split-second’s notice.
“He’s the quickest,” backup goalie Jaroslav Halak said. “Matty’s up there. He’s on top of it. He’s watching and the next thing you know he’s learning over the boards and handing out the stick. It reminds me of Formula 1 when they go to pit stop; you have to be fast and he’s kind of like that.”
Case in point: During the Bruins’ 3-2 win over the Ottawa Senators on Saturday at TD Garden, Boston was in the midst of a power play when Brad Marchand snapped his stick on a one-timer. The Bruins maintained possession in the offensive zone while Marchand skated to the bench for a new stick. Falconer was leaning over the boards, weapon in hand.
Marchand snagged it, quickly got back in the play and scored to give the Bruins a 1-0 lead. Without Falconer’s quick reaction, the game could have ended with a different result. His services do not go unnoticed.
“He’s got a gift,” Marchand said. “He gets back there quick. He knows where they’re at and gets them up to us.”
It’s certainly not the first time it’s happened. Recently, Danton Heinen was on the receiving end of a Falconer stick exchange. On Dec. 11, the Bruins were hosting the Arizona Coyotes at TD Garden when Heinen broke a stick and headed to the bench, resigned to ending his shift. Instead, Falconer was leaning over the boards, offering a replacement, Heinen grabbed it, got back into the play and scored a goal.
“I remember breaking my stick and I was heading to the bench,” Heinen recalled. “I was going to come off and the guys were yelling, ‘3-on-2, 3-on-2.’ Matty had it ready, so it was perfect. I went straight backdoor and (Jakob Forsbacka Karlsson) made a nice backhand pass to me and I was lucky enough to put it in. It was a fun one, for sure. I love seeing (Falconer) get some credit.”
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On March 10, 2018, the Bruins were hosting the Chicago Blackhawks and in the waning minutes Sean Kuraly busted a stick. He went to the bench and Falconer had one ready to go. Kuraly answered with an empty-net goal en route to a 7-4 win.
“It’s impressive,” Kuraly said. “It happens quick. There’s rarely a time where you can get to the bench faster than he’s got it ready for you. The bench is good too at being vocal about who lost his stick and who needs a stick. If you want to get a stick for someone, you have to be ready for 60 minutes, or else you’ll miss it.”
There are stories going back years. Former Bruin and current Dallas Stars forward Tyler Seguin was on the receiving end of Falconer’s wizardry on Jan. 24, 2012. Seguin broke a stick, skated by the bench, grabbed a new stick and scored a highlight-reel goal.
Here’s how Falconer does it:
The sticks are lined up in numerical order on the rack in the tunnel behind the bench. Falconer stands at the end of the bench right in front of the entrance to the tunnel to the locker room. The stick rack is behind him.
When he sees a player break his stick, or hears the bench players screaming for a new stick, Falconer spins and always grabs the correct one and delivers it in a split second.
“I memorize everybody’s tape job on their handle,” explained Falconer. “That’s how I identify it so quickly, because (tape jobs) are so unique and so personalized to each player. It’s quicker for me to look back and see the tape job, rather than a name on a stick.”
During the game, Falconer is focused, always ready. There are many ways a stick can break – faceoff, blocked shot, shot, slash – but Falconer has learned to hone in on certain aspects of the game to anticipate when it’s likely to happen. Usually, the stick shrapnel just hits the ice as Falconer’s reaching for the replaceable graphite.
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“It’s funny because being around (the game) for so long, you hear noises and you can kind of tell when a puck hits a stick if it cracked it, or if it didn’t,” Falconer said.
Falconer on the bench, watching the action. (Steve Babineau / NHLI via Getty Images)Falconer understands it’s a team effort when such a situation occurs during the game. Keith Robinson (head equipment manager), along with the players on the bench, are all yelling when a stick breaks.
“The guys are pretty vocal when they see something, because it’s hard to see everything,” explained Falconer. “Sometimes there’s so much going on, the guys are great with yelling out a number to get a stick ready for a guy. There’s a lot of communication going on, it’s not just me watching and seeing what I see. Everybody’s got eyes on the game and everybody’s pitching in to make sure the job gets done.”
There was a time when players would write their numbers on the tape in order for the equipment managers to see it clearly, but that’s no longer the case with the Bruins because of Falconer’s ability to locate a stick by its tape job alone.
“I thought it was crazy that none of the guys wrote their numbers. I was like, ‘What?’” Kuraly said. “But I quit doing it too. He gets them as fast as hell. It’s impressive.”
The backup goalie has the best seat in the house.
Falconer, now 33, was 16 years old at the first practice he worked as a stick boy, in December 2001. Current general manager Don Sweeney was playing for the Bruins that season, and Falconer’s first assignment was to heat up a new pair of gloves for the veteran defenseman.
“That’s something I always remembered. That day was such a whirlwind for me, because I was just happy to be there and helping out,” Falconer said.
When Falconer attended college he spent nearly two seasons working and training in the Bruins’ hockey operations department. He learned about team travel, itineraries and how to cut video clips of shifts and players for the scouting department.
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“I started in the locker room and that’s where my heart’s always been,” he said. “It was a great experience seeing that side of the game, but when I got the opportunity to move into my full-time position I was pretty excited about it.”
Falconer is a master at copying players’ tape jobs. He’s been doing it since he was a kid and now it’s become essential in his profession. In fact, the Bruins’ David Krejci leaves his sticks in Falconer’s hands. It’s been a while since Krejci has actually cut and taped his own stick.
“Every single game. I don’t know if he’s cut down and made up his own stick this year,” Falconer said with a smile. “I did it for him once a few years ago and he went on a little run, so he still uses that as his (excuse). It’s part of my game-day routine – make Kreech’s stick. I don’t mind doing it and he doesn’t seem to mind, either.”
It takes Falconer only five minutes to prepare Krejci’s stick exactly the way he likes it. Falconer cuts it, sands the top and puts the “candy cane spiral” tape job on the handle. Then there’s gauze tape over the cloth tape on the nob.
“I’m so used to doing it now, it’s like taping my own stick,” he said.
Falconer is humble. He doesn’t want any publicity. He simply does his job and does it well. He’s not about to take any credit for anything he does that results in the Bruins winning a game.
“They’re the ones doing the work on the ice, but for us to do our job to make their job work, it’s a team effort,” he said. “Everyone pulls on their ropes to do their part and I take pride in it. To be working at this level with the best hockey players in the world is special.”
Falconer grew up in Boston and rooted for the Bruins as a kid. Now, he’s a part of the Black and Gold family.
“That means more to me than anything that I’m part of the Bruins family and I’ve been here a long time,” Falconer said. “I take pride in being part of this organization. I know the culture here, the history of the team and I grew up a huge fan as a kid. To be able to work for the team I grew up cheering for is what I’m most proud about.”
(Top photo of Falconer, left: Steve Babineau / NHLI via Getty Images)
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