BOSTON — The Bruins are 2-0-0 since the trade deadline including a come-from-behind 3-2 win over the Florida Panthers on Tuesday night.
After Boston traded captain Brad Marchand to Florida and parted ways with other leaders like Brandon Carlo and Charlie Coyle, it became clear the Bruins were sellers and trying to prepare for the future.
Despite the win, the Bruins still remain out of the playoff picture. It’s still within reach, and the team is embracing an underdog type of attitude.
“We all play for something. That’s just what I see from the guys,” Nikita Zadorov said. “All the guys since Friday have been showing up, ready to work, ready to work their balls off and play for the crest. There is no quit in this team and we’re going to keep pushing until the end. We’re trying to build a momentum we haven’t had all year.
“Our mindset in here is hard work, go out there and play with the pride for the crest on your chest,” he continued. “I think in front of the Boston fans, that’s our mindset. It’s not aggressiveness, it’s just Boston Bruins hockey.”
Pavel Zacha admitted that the last few days have been hard given the players who left the organization. But noted the Bruins can’t lose sight of the task at hand no matter how emotional its’s been.
“That’s something that we have to get through and keep playing like we did the last three games,” he said. “I think even the Carolina and the Tampa game and today, I just think we’re hard to play against now, and we’re a fast team. We just have to keep getting better. … This is far from over for us.”
There are 16 games left in the regular season with an important matchup against the Senators on deck for Thursday. Boston is five points behind Ottawa in the Wild Card standings. And while the Bruins have an uphill battle to make it to the playoffs, the message remains the same whether they’re underdogs or not.
“The main message is that we’re battling for each other in this room. That’s all we care about, is the guys in this room,” Jeremy Swayman said. “And I just couldn’t be more proud of the guys, the way that their effort is and the way that we’re competing as a team and and just being cohesive. And we’re obviously getting results. … And it’s a really good feeling to have.”
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