NHL News: Joe Sacco issues big challenge to Brad Marchand, rest of Bruins on upcoming road trip

The Boston Bruins have completely changed the direction their season was headed into after moving on from Jim Montgomery and promoting Joe Sacco as interim coach. However, the head coach wants to see if the team’s streak can survive their upcoming, demanding road trip. On that note, he sent a strong message to captain Brad Marchand and the rest of the players on the team.

After nine games at the helm, Sacco and the Bruins are 7-2-0. It’s still too early for victory laps, but the decision to move on from Montgomery is looking good so far.

Although the team’s turn around to their NHL season is evident, they will face a critical test during their next stretch away from Massachusetts. Ahead of their five-game road trip, Sacco issued a big task for the team.

“I’d like to see how we respond,” Sacco stated, via Boston Herald. “I think it tells a lot about your team when you get on the road, about the identity of your group and how it responds to different environments.

Brad Marchand #63 of the Boston Bruins looks on during the first period against the Seattle Kraken at Climate Pledge Arena on February 26, 2024 in Seattle, Washington.

“We’re going to play one of the better teams in the league in our next game. I won’t look too far ahead because Winnipeg is obviously going to be a nice challenge. But I think it’s important that we remains true to our identity and that’s what’s given us success lately.”

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Marchand explains keys to next matchups

Marchand has been on great form, recently. The 36-year-old carries a three-game point streak and will look to extend it during the pivotal clash with the league-leading Winnipeg Jets.

As the Bruins changed the tune on their season with Sacco’s arrival, the captain explained what’s the key to their success after the bad start to the campaign. Though he is content with the recent outings, Marchand insisted the team must continue to evolve.

“We still need to manage the game a little bit better at times,” Marchand stated. “You can always clean up your D zone. We’ve been working on our defensive structure a lot in the neutral zone and obviously in the D zone. Our biggest strength is always how we defend.”

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Boston needs to find a quick solution to their special teams’ struggles as they gear up to face the third-best power play in the league. The Jets can score in bunches, and the Bruins cannot afford to hand them man-advantage opportunities. The Bruins’ power play, on the other hand, is the league’s worst, with an efficiency rate of 12%.