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With guilt and disappointment, Bruins react to Jim Montgomery’s firing
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With guilt and disappointment, Bruins react to Jim Montgomery’s firing

BOSTON-The Bruins I know it’s their performance this season which resulted in Jim Montgomery gets fired. Boston left its coach Tuesday night after an 8-9-3 start. From top to bottom, the team has struggled and the Bruins have yet to find their rhythm after a flat training camp.

The players took their responsibilities for their faults Wednesday, with many saying they felt a sense of guilt – including Brad Marchand who didn’t play up to his level over the first 20 games.

“Very disappointing day. Very frustrating. It’s a reflection of our game and it was avoidable,” the captain said. “I think that’s the hardest part of it all. If we had done our job here, he would still be here. I feel bad. Individually, as a group, we let down a very good coach and a very good person. And the effect it has not only on him, but also on his family. It’s a shitty day.

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David Pastrnak echoed Marchand’s sentiments, calling the last 24 hours sad and difficult because of the kind of people in Montgomery they lost.

“It’s always a tough day and a lot of it is blame because at the end of the day, as players, we’re the ones who perform,” he said. “And we didn’t get there and because we didn’t do the job, we lost a great coach and an amazing human being.”

McAvoy also called Tuesday and Wednesday tough days and this Wednesday started with some personal reflection and how they put themselves in the position they are in.

“It really started with a lot of reflection here for this group and a lot of looking in the mirror (and) at the things we’ve done so far – myself, the team, everyone to get to where this point,” he said. “And recognizing how this has fallen short of our standards and trying to find a way to get it back.”

Joe Sacco will take on the role of interim coach for the remainder of the season as the Bruins look to get back on track. He has been with the organization since 2014 and has learned under both Montgomery and Bruce Cassidy. And while Sacco is excited to have another chance at winning a head coaching job — he coached the Colorado Avalanche for four seasons — he admitted the way it happened was sweet -bitter.

Like the players, Sacco also felt responsible for Montgomery’s firing.

“We have to take some of the fall, take some of the responsibility for what happened yesterday,” he said. “And I want to make sure that as a team we try to correct that and move forward.”