“Just weren’t good enough”: Joe Sacco defends Bruins as goaltending and coaching decisions face scrutiny

The Boston Bruins’ season continues to spiral as coaching decisions and goaltending struggles remain major concerns. Interim head coach Joe Sacco and GM Don Sweeney have made bold roster changes, including trading veteran Brad Marchand, but the team’s issues persist. A disastrous performance against the Ottawa Senators, highlighted by Jeremy Swayman’s early collapse and defensive lapses, has only intensified scrutiny on Sacco’s leadership.

The Bruins' interim head coach, Joe Sacco, and GM Don Sweeney have been rebuilding the roster, even trading veteran Brad Marchand for fresh talent. However, struggles continue, especially in goaltending. Jeremy Swayman, who settled his contract dispute in October 2024, allowed four goals in the first period against the Senators, worsening his already low save percentage. With Boston's issues piling up, Sacco is now under scrutiny for his decisions.

“I don’t see how Swayman starts the second, but then again, I’m not the coach — interim or otherwise,” posted NESN’s Boston Bruins reporter Gayle Troiani. Joonas Korpisalo took over in net after Swayman’s rough start, hoping to stabilize the game. Despite his efforts, he allowed two goals in both the second and third periods. While his performance was better than Swayman’s, the damage was already done, and the Bruins were too overwhelmed to mount a comeback.
The Bruins' offense managed just three goals against Brady Tkachuk’s Senators, who scored six. Reporter Jimmy Murphy questioned why Joe Sacco didn’t pull Swayman after a disastrous first period, noting it had happened before—most recently in January when Swayman’s failed empty-net attempt led to Ottawa tying the game and eventually winning in a shootout. With repeated mistakes, Boston’s struggles seem endless.
Despite late trade deadline moves, the Bruins' momentum was quickly crushed when Ottawa scored three goals in just over nine minutes. The loss again prevented Boston from securing a three-game win streak, something they’ve struggled with since December. Meanwhile, Jeremy Swayman’s season has been rocky due to a contract standoff that kept him out of training camp. Though he eventually signed a $66 million deal, his performance has been inconsistent ever since.
Coach Joe Sacco accepted Swayman wasn’t the only one responsible for the loss against Ottawa. “We just weren’t good enough in most of the facets in the first period… Our execution wasn’t quite there, we weren’t sharp, our passing was off,” admitted the interim head coach.
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Swayman’s inconsistency remains a major concern, as his shaky performances have cost Boston crucial points. With their playoff hopes in jeopardy, the Bruins must quickly address their defensive and goaltending issues.