SALT LAKE CITY – Jim Montgomery is no stranger to Utah.

The Boston bench boss played two seasons (2001-2003) for the Utah Grizzlies – then the AHL affiliate of the Dallas Stars – and called Salt Lake City “one of the best places I’ve ever lived.”

“I loved it…aesthetically, with the mountains on top of you. The weather is excellent and the people are very nice,” said Montgomery

However, the team leading Montgomery isn’t as familiar with this city as Boston prepares for its first game against the Utah Hockey Club on Saturday night.

The Bruins have been in town since early Thursday morning, having flown in following their win over Colorado in the road trip opener, giving them plenty of time to enjoy the enthusiasm for hockey building around the city.

“We’re all very impressed with how much people are talking about hockey, how excited they are,” Montgomery said after the morning skate at Delta Center. “There is a buzz and an energy downtown that we have noticed is very exciting for the league and for them.”

And within that buzz there is plenty of Black & Gold.

“I was surprised because I thought, ‘This might be the only place where you don’t see a lot of Bruins jerseys.’ But (on Friday) I was walking around downtown and saw a lot of Bruins hats and jerseys. Thank God for Bobby Orr,” Montgomery said with a chuckle.

Utah is off to a strong 3-1-1 start in their first campaign and is just one point behind Winnipeg and Dallas for first place in the Central Division, although they have lost two in a row – a 3-0 loss to New Jersey and a 5-4 overtime setback against Anaheim in their last outing on Wednesday.

“Just their speed in transition is really noticeable,” Montgomery said. “They have three lines that can score. We’re just going to have to be very good at controlling, we’re going to have to be very good at getting over the pucks, so they have to come through us.