Bruins HC Joe Sacco makes his feelings clear about facing challenges while adapting to fresh-look roster after multiple trades

By Tushaar Kuthiala

Modified Mar 12, 2025 18:50 GMT

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Boston Bruins interim coach Joe Sacco discussed the team's mini-resurgence over the past three games. In an interview with NESN, he talked about how the Bruins’ close 3-2 loss against the Carolina Hurricanes on Thursday sparked a revival.

“I think we go back to the Carolina game, where it was, that game was before the deals were made, obviously some of the other deals, but we played a solid game there in Carolina,” Sacco said on Tuesday.

Boston, which has been underperforming this season, was a major seller as the trade deadline loomed on Friday. It traded captain Brad Marchand to the Florida Panthers and defenseman Brandon Carlo to the Toronto Maple Leafs. Forwards Charlie Coyle, Justin Brazeau and Trent Frederic were also moved.

The Bruins are also without top defensemen Charlie McAvoy and Hampus Lindholm. McAvoy is week-to-week after suffering complications following shoulder surgery while Lindholm is likely out for the rest of the season.

On Saturday, they blanked the high-flying Tampa Bay Lightning 4-0. They followed it up with a 3-2 comeback win against the Florida Panthers on Tuesday.

“We carried it over after the deadline into Tampa, and then obviously what we did tonight, I think that gives our guys hope and belief,” Sacco said.

He also discussed assimilating the team's recent acquisitions in the trade market.

“We're trying to just do it day by day, break it down so that we're not giving them, like I said, too much at once," Sacco said. "But other than that, just let them play hockey. We want to see what they can do too, right? Like, we don't know a lot of the players, and so it's for us, it's an evaluation period too.”

Joe Sacco lauds Bruins’ players for coming back from 2-0 deficit against Florida Panthers

Sacco praised his team for its grit and determination on Tuesday at TD Garden. Goals from David Pastrnak, Mason Lohrei and Pavel Zacha in an eight-minute window in the third period saw the Bruins turn things around from 2-0 down to 3-2 at the final buzzer.

Pastrnak initiated the resurgence by drawing a penalty from the Panthers’ recent acquisition Seth Jones and scoring a power-play goal at 8:56 of the third period. It also marked the first PPG Florida conceded in 22 attempts across seven games.

“I think the power play got us a big goal, which was nice because it has been struggling at times,” Sacco said after the game, via NHL.com. “So, that gave us a lift, and we carried some momentum after that.”

Pastrnak also had an assist and has six 80-point seasons in the NHL.