BU’s Jay Pandolfo Maintains Special Bond With Bruins ‘Mentor’

BOSTON — Jay Pandolfo certainly is comfortable being behind the bench at TD Garden as he gets set to lead Boston University into next week’s Dunkin’ Beanpot.

It’s a spot Pandolfo spent plenty of time in before taking the helm at BU. He served as a Boston Bruins development coach for two years beginning in 2014 before becoming an assistant coach for the franchise for the next five seasons.

Pandolfo’s time with the Bruins afforded him the opportunity to work alongside Joe Sacco, who was elevated to Boston’s interim head coach after the organization parted ways with Jim Montgomery during the middle of this season.

The two formed a tight connection and Pandolfo credits Sacco for helping turn him into the coach he is today.

“He’s a great coach,” Pandolfo said earlier this week during Beanpot media day at TD Garden. “He was a mentor to me. He helped me a lot. Just being able to spend five years with him, coaching with him, he taught me a lot and I really appreciate that. He’s a great person and a great coach as well.”

Pandolfo sure put the lessons he learned from Sacco to good use with the Terriers. Pandolfo guided BU to back-to-back Frozen Four appearances, but has yet to lift Beanpot trophy since taking over the Terriers.

BU came close last year, but fell in overtime in the title matchup to Northeastern. The Terriers will look to start the Beanpot off right when they open the tournament against Harvard on Monday (5 p.m. ET).

Pandolfo will keep an eye on Sacco and how the Bruins do as the Terriers vie for the Beanpot crown. Pandolfo sees a tall task ahead for Sacco, who owned a 17-12-3 record as Boston’s bench boss heading into Thursday’s matchup with the Winnipeg Jets, to get the Bruins into the playoffs. But Pandolfo applauded the work his former coaching partner has done in his new position this season.

“I’m real close with Joe,” Pandolfo said. “Obviously, we’re both busy right now, but we always try to catch up every couple weeks or so. I think he’s done a tremendous job. It’s a tough division this year, so looks like it’s going to be a tight race to get into the playoffs in the East, that’s for sure.”

NESN Dunkin’ Beanpot coverage is presented by Dunkin‘.