BOSTON (AP) \u2014 The Boston Bruins didn\u2019t even bother teasing their fans with a spectacular regular season before heading home for the summer this time.<\/p>\n
The Bruins finished with a 5-4 overtime loss to the New Jersey Devils<\/a> on Tuesday night, wrapping up a lost season in which they missed the playoffs for the first time since 2016 and posted their first losing record since 2007.<\/p>\n \u201cI\u2019m sad it\u2019s over, obviously. That\u2019s pretty much the only answer I can give you right now,\u201d forward David Pastrnak said. \u201cIt\u2019s tough. Obviously want to keep playing. And I\u2019ll leave it at that, I guess.\u201d<\/p>\n The Bruins had topped 100 points in each of the six previous non-pandemic years, including a record-setting 135-point 2022-23 campaign that was the best regular season in NHL history. But since losing in the 2019 Stanley Cup Final, they haven\u2019t made it past the second round of the playoffs; they have won only one series in the last four years.<\/p>\n That led to the firing of first Bruce Cassidy, and then Jim Montgomery, who was let go 20 games into this season and replaced with Joe Sacco. But the interim coach could only manage a 25-30-7 record the rest of the way \u2014 last in the Atlantic Division, and no better than tied for last in the whole Eastern Conference.<\/p>\n Sacco, who is not expected to return, was hobbled by a trade deadline surrender that purged captain Brad Marchand and a handful of other players from the roster. He said he hadn\u2019t had a chance to look back on a season that changed dramatically just six weeks in.<\/p>\n \u201cIt\u2019s been pretty busy since the change,\u201d said the 56-year-old suburban Boston native, who played at Boston University before a 13-year NHL career.<\/p>\n \u201cIt\u2019s special to be able to coach obviously in your hometown. That\u2019s obviously an added bonus,\u201d Sacco said. \u201cI\u2019ll think more about it as the days go on. But I\u2019m proud of the guys. I know there\u2019s been a lot of moving parts this year and they haven\u2019t quit \u2014 right to the end.\u201d<\/p>\n Pastrnak led the team with 43 goals and 63 assists, and his 106 points were nearly twice as many as his nearest teammate. With Charlie McAvoy and Hampus Lindholm injured, there wasn\u2019t much help on defense.<\/p>\n And Jeremy Swayman struggled after signing an eight-year, $66 million contract and ending his holdout two days before the season opener.<\/p>\n \u201cThe major takeaway is just finding a way to win. And no matter how we do it, we have to compete every single day,\u201d Swayman said. \u201cWe\u2019re a proud program. And we owe it to ourselves \u2014 really to our fans \u2014 to be a lot better. And I\u2019m excited for the comeback.\u201d<\/p>\n Download the FREE Boston 25 News app<\/a> for breaking news alerts.<\/p>\n Follow Boston 25 News on Facebook<\/a> and Twitter<\/a>. | Watch Boston 25 News NOW<\/a><\/p>\n \u00a92025 Cox Media Group<\/p>\n