The Boston Bruins are formally on a two-week hiatus for the 4 Nations Face-Off after blowing their second third-period lead in two video games.
What may have meant momentum heading into the final 25 video games of the season as an alternative become a query of how the crew will look when it resumes play on Feb. 22 towards the Anaheim Geese.
“Upset to not get a win at present,” Bruins defenseman Nikita Zadorov informed reporters after Boston’s 4-3 loss to the Vegas Golden Knights on Saturday, per team-provided audio. “It’s do or die for us. We wasted the final two video games, 4 factors. It may value us. Or it couldn’t. We’ll see.”
The Japanese Convention is so jam-packed that on any given evening, groups transfer up and down the standings and out and in of a playoff spot. The Bruins presently discover themselves on the skin, with the March 7 commerce deadline looming a month away.
Though the leaders within the locker room have been adamant in regards to the “perception” they’ve in themselves, Bruins interim head coach Joe Sacco doesn’t really feel he has any management over the entrance workplace’s determination on the roster.
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“That’s probably not a query that I really feel like I must reply,” Sacco mentioned earlier than Boston’s tilt with Vegas, per team-provided audio. “Our job as a workers and the blokes within the room is simply to maintain pushing the best way we will and making an attempt to play the most effective hockey that we’re able to enjoying sport in and sport out.
“While you take a look at the standings, there’s six, possibly as much as seven groups which can be in that wild card/third spot within the division proper now. So, that’s actually our focus, and that can proceed to be our focus shifting ahead.”
Regardless of the roller-coaster season, Brad Marchand isn’t prepared to surrender on his crew.
“I imply, I believe we will play with anyone,” Marchand informed reporters, per team-provided audio. “The distinction within the sport could be very small margins, small particulars, so we simply have to wash it up a bit of.
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“However I believe that we will play with anyone. And we’ve seen lots of — just about everybody at this level (within the season) — and I don’t suppose there’s anyone that we will’t play with.”
Marchand could also be satisfied Boston can flip its season round, however is it sufficient to persuade Cam Neely and Don Sweeney? Each have said that the Bruins are contemplating “two paths.” Nonetheless, Boston’s newest two-game skid may power its brass to determine to look previous this season and “retool” the roster for the longer term.
For now, it’s a ready sport to see how Sweeney approaches the crew’s future.
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