BOSTON — Tuesday’s 3-2 overtime win over the Red Wings, might have been a perfect encapsulation of the Bruins during the brief tenure of interim coach Joe Sacco.
It wasn’t crisp or clean for most of the game, but late in the game they found enough to beat Detroit in overtime at TD Garden. The Bruins still have plenty of areas that need improvement and very little has come easy, but they improved to 5-2 in seven games under Sacco.
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“This is a tough league to win in, regardless of the type of game,” Sacco said. “It wasn’t a clean game for either side. … You just try to stay with and not deviate from the game plan. For the most part, we did that. There’s still areas of the game we need to clean up.”
Boston has been better since the coaching change as the shakeup seemed to jolt the Bruins into a greater sense of urgency.
“We’re playing with passion, with pride. We’re playing for each other. I think we were disconnected before. That’s what wasn’t working,” Nikita Zadorov said. “I don’t think we changed much X’s and O’s. We’re just doing it now.”
Justin Brazeau thought winning when things weren’t going right early was a positive development.
“We didn’t have it tonight as good as we have in the last couple,” said Brazeau, whose power play goal in the third period forced overtime. “Good teams find a way to win. Any time you can do that in this league is really good for us.”
Pavel Zacha, who had the game-winning goal in overtime, thought the Bruins have gotten back to doing what makes them successful.
“I think a little bit more shot volume,” he said. “A little bit more structure in the defensive zone and an emphasis on being really good defensively,” he said. “That’s really worked for us.”
