With Vancouver coming off a strong 4-0 win over the Vegas Golden Knights, the Bruins will look to shift the momentum in their favor ahead of a challenging three-game week.
"It will be a good challenge for our guys, three games in four days on the road," said Sacco, who confirmed that Cassidy will not join the club for the Western Canada swing. "We are facing some good competition, some stiff competition."
A challenge that's been made a little bit easier with the return of well-rested Brad Marchand, who is making his comeback from a three-game suspension for slew-footing Canucks defenseman Ekman-Larsson.
"With Marchy being out three games, he's ready to go," said Sacco.
Others that could be ready to go include Anton Blidh (upper-body), Charlie McAvoy (non-COVID illness), and Linus Ullmark (non-COVID illness), who all skated in full on Tuesday afternoon. Charlie Coyle and Matt Grzelcyk,who were also out with non-COVID-related illness this week, did not skate Tuesday afternoon but are making the trip. Nosek will stay behind due to a non-COVID-related illness with no set answer on if he will join the team mid-trip.
"We will take it day by day but he will not be joining us right now for the trip," said Sacco.
With Nosek out, the Bruins have recalled Oskar Steen from Providence. Steen has six goals and seven assists for 13 points in 12 AHL games with Providence this season.
Another player not making the trip is Jakub Zboril, who will be re-evaluated in two weeks after an awkward collision in Nashville forced him out of the game with a lower-body injury.
"He will get a second examination on his lower-body and will be re-evaluated in another couple weeks," said Sacco.
Despite the illness and injuries the Bruins face, Sacco feels improvements are being as the Black & Gold aim to shore up their game.
"We feel like our game is getting better, and we just want to build off that and focus on the areas we feel like we do a good job," said Sacco.
Patrice Bergeron, meanwhile, was donning a full bubble shield on his helmet for Tuesday's practice after breaking his nose against the Nashville Predators last week. The B's captain said he had to get his nose reset for the "sixth or seventh time" in his playing career. Despite what you may think, this was not done to make him magazine cover ready.
"It's more for breathing than anything else, said Bergeron."I think the modeling career is over by now, anyways, so that wasn't the reason why."
With three games in four days, Bergeron put an emphasis on the team taking it one game at a time.
"We have to focus on Vancouver and worry about that first and bring our game," said Bergeron.
Looking at the team's play in the past few games, Bergeron has liked what he has seen.
"I thought the last three games were straight line, a lot of speed, and structured," said Bergeron.
This will be a week be for the night owls, as the Bruins are set for puck drop at 9 p.m. ET on Wednesday and Thursday, and a 10 p.m. start on Saturday night in Calgary.
