The Boston Bruins hope to continue their winning start to Joe Sacco’s tenure as interim coach as they begin a stretch of three games in four nights around Thanksgiving on Tuesday against the Vancouver Canucks.
Sacco has emphasized shoring things up defensively and his team has delivered, allowing a combined 42 shots on goal across only their second set of back-to-back regulation wins all season on Thursday against Utah (1-0 score) and Saturday in Detroit (2-1).
There are positive offensive signs as well. Captain Brad Marchand netted the latter game-winner in the third period against the Red Wings, which was Boston’s first at 5-on-5 in a three-game span.
The first goal in Detroit came from Justin Brazeau and the second power-play unit.
“We need contributions from everybody right now,” Sacco said.
Entering a busy stretch that continues Wednesday with a visit to the New York Islanders, Marchand likes the team’s current direction.
“We seem to be a little bit more comfortable right now. Effort seems higher,” he said. “I like the way we closed the last couple of games, being tight, playing very well defensively.”
After giving up 12 goals in his previous two starts, Jeremy Swayman — who signed an eight-year, $66 million contract last month — returned to the net following Joonas Korpisalo’s shutout of Utah and stopped 19 of 20 shots in Detroit.
The beginning of the season has been a struggle for Swayman (3.30 goals-against average, .887 save percentage), but the coach affirmed that “he’s still (the Bruins’) guy” following their latest victory.
“I am happy for his response,” Sacco said. “I’m sure that he’s starting to feel better about himself. It’s only a matter of time before ‘Sway’ starts to find his groove consistently.”
Meanwhile, Korpisalo has gone 3-0-1 in November.
The Canucks have gone just 3-4-0 since beginning this month on a three-game win streak, but they arrive in Boston for the second of a six-game trip after beating Ottawa 4-3 Saturday. It was their seventh victory in eight road games this season.
It was a key team win after center J.T. Miller was added to Vancouver’s list of absentees due to an indefinite personal leave last Wednesday and defenseman Quinn Hughes was ejected in the first period for a major boarding penalty.
“That’s a lot to throw at the team, and I thought we handled it well,” coach Rick Tocchet said. “I’m proud of the guys. We hung in there and grinded out the win. … In an 82-game schedule, you’re going to go through a lot of adversity and it’s about the way you handle it.”
Brock Boeser (upper-body injury) has missed the previous seven games, but returned to practice Monday in a regular jersey.
In the absence of aforementioned stars, the top line of Jake DeBrusk, Elias Pettersson and Kiefer Sherwood stepped up for a combined seven points against the Senators. DeBrusk scored two of the trio’s three goals and added an assist.
A Bruin for his first seven NHL seasons, DeBrusk scored his first three goals of the season in consecutive games before entering Saturday on a six-game drought. The winger will look to ride the momentum into his first game in Boston since moving to Vancouver as a free agent in July.
“I think it’s more so my game is kind of building,” DeBrusk said. “I knew I was going to break through.”
The Canucks also recalled Max Sasson from AHL affiliate Abbotsford for his first NHL game on Saturday. He recorded an assist.
“I really liked his game,” Tocchet said. “To just get called up out of the blue, he seized the moment.”
–Field Level Media