Boston Bruins: Got goals?

November 4, 1:55 PMBoston Bruins ExaminerMark Marino

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With a fistful of dollars remaining against the 2009-10 salary cap, I wonder if Boston Bruins GM Peter Chiarelli can buy a goal or two for his team over the next couple of games.

Okay, maybe not, but it would be worth a shot considering the lack of offensive power the Bruins have showcased over the past week. Three goals in their last four games to be exact, while being shutout in their last two.

Last season, the Black and Gold had the second most goals-for in the NHL with 270 (3.29/game) along with the Jennings Trophy for fewest goals-against with 190 (2.32/game). At this point, through the first 14 games of the 2008-09 season, the Bruins had a total of 41 goals-for.

Compare that to the current 2009-10 Bruins' squad who have mustered just 31 goals through the first 14 games of this season—24th in the league—with an average of 2.21 goals per game (27th). That scoring average, although early in the season, has the Bruins on pace for a mere 182 goals this season.

One more scary thought: last year's Colorado Avalanche team, whom ranked last in goals-for with 190 in 2008-09, had a better scoring-percentage.

Unfortunately for Boston, the injury bug has struck them early-on this season. Milan Lucic (0-3-3) has missed the last eight games with a broken right index finger, and Marc Savard (4-3-7) has also sat out on the LTIR with Lucic for the last seven contests. The Bruins are 3-3-1, with 13 goals-for, in their last seven without No. 91.

Players who were projected to fill the scoring-gap of No. 81, now in Toronto, have yet to step-up their game this year—David Krejci, Michael Ryder, and Marco Sturm—and have certainly not with the recent injuries.

The trio have a combined 2-4-6 in their last seven games without Savard.

Krejci, 1-1-2 in his last seven, is now reunited with linemates of last year, Michael Ryder and Blake Wheeler, in hopes for a rejuvenated spark in his stick. No. 46 has now been held scoreless in the last four games.

Ryder, who is waiting for his first 30-goal season in Boston, has just 3-3-6 on the year. Ryder ripped a one-timer from the slot, from Wheeler, off the inside of the post during the second period of last night's loss—so it's just a matter of time now before the reunited trio gets it going. But as of now, Ryder has just one goal in the last seven games for the B's without Savard, and really needs to get it going for the Bruins to succeed.

In the defense of Marco Sturm, along with Ryder, he has certainly had his fair share of scoring chances as of late. Just watch the first 1:05 if this video from last night's game against Detroit. I still don't know how this did not go in, but he's got to find a way to put those home.

Nonetheless, Sturm has just 2-5-7 on the season, and just three assists in the last seven games. He has yet to find the back of the net since the third game of the season (11 games).

Boston's tandem of net-minders have given the Bruins every chance to win as of late by being the best players dressed in Black and Gold, despite the lack of support in front of them. Tim Thomas, 2-3-0, has stopped 130 of 140 shots he's faced in his last five starts; while Tuukka Rask has saved 55 out of the 58 shots against him—including a 19-save shutout against the Oilers last Saturday—going 1-0-1 in his last two starts between the pipes.

*****

Now, off to the power play: my-oh-my what has happened to the Bruins power play this season? To state the obvious and to quote Rick Pitino, "it stinks".

Another 0-for-3 with the man advantage last night—with just two shots on goal—the Bruins are now last in the NHL on the power play, 6-for-52 (11.5%) on the season. Boston has yet to capitalize in its last 17 opportunities, and are just 2-for-39 in their last 12 games.

At the end of the 2008-09 season, the Bruins ranked fourth in the league on the power play—netting 74 goals in 313 opportunites (23.6%) with the man advantage.

With each passing opportunity, it has become clear as daylight  how much the B's are missing their best set-up man in Savard. In 2008-09, Savard  racked-up 30 power play points with 21 of those being assists. His vision on the ice to make plays and set-up scoring opportunities are unparalleled, and extremely difficult to replace.

Without Savard, the Bruins' passing display is completely different and non-effective. Where as Savard sees the entire ice, including the slot, the Bruins now seem to be passing the puck around the perimeter—D-to-D along the blue-line, back to the half-wall, down to the goal-line, and repeat.

The players have been stationary and the power play has been lacking character and creativity as of late. While the Bruins have failed in the ability to put the puck in the net, they are also lacking the ability to set-up quality scoring chances.

Savard is only two-weeks into his four-to-six stint on the long-term IR. At best, No. 91 could return to the ice for the Nov. 19 game against the Thrashers (10 games and 24 calendar days). But depending on his progress, that date is highly optimistic and unlikely considering it is a broken foot, so no more holding your breath.

In lieu of Savard and Lucic, Vladimir Sobotka and Brad Marchand have filled-in nicely for the time being. Sobotka has really given a boost of energy to the team with his 23 hits through seven games thus far, while Marchand is logging valuable minutes on the penalty kill. These two were mixed together on the third line—with Daniel Paille—in last night's game against the Wings, while each logging over two minutes on the second power play unit.

Trent Whitfield was called-up from the AHL Providence Bruins for Byron Bitz, who is day-to-day with a groin injury. Whitfield, the 12-year veteran, played especially well on the face-off dot last night, winning 12 of 17 (71%).

Yet, there's one player that head coach Claude Julien needs to find room for, and that's Johnny Boychuk. I'm not saying No. 55 is the answer to all of the Bruins' woes, but he's certainly more than worthy of another shot at the NHL level.

In the three games that Boychuk filled-in for the then-injured Dennis Wideman, the 25-year-old logged over 16 minutes of average ice time, with close to one-minute on the power play. He displayed his rugged side with three hits (which can't be right), and a fighting major in Phoenix—shorty after the 'Yotes scored two unanswered goals in a 0:44 span in the second period.

Boychuk has an absolute bomb from the point (seven shots on goal in three games), and could be a great addition to the first power play unit with Zdeno Chara, or the second unit with Wideman. He plays his position well, being a stay-at-home defenseman, but also possesses great puck-rushing abilities out of the defensive zone.

The 2008-09 AHL's Eddie Shore winner—most points by a defenseman—lead the Providence Bruins with 65 points (20 goals, 45 assists), and a whopping 289 shots on goal.

Heading back to the TD Garden, the Bruins host the Montreal Canadiens tomorrow night at 7pm. The Habs could just be the team that jump-starts the Bruins offense. Montreal snapped a five-game winning streak last night, losing 5-4 to the Atlanta Thrashers.

Last year, the Bruins went 5-0-1 against Montreal in the regular season, and outscored the Habs 23-13. This will be the first time—of six this year—that these two teams square-off since the 2008-09 playoff. And to refresh your memory, the Bruins swept the Canadiens in the first-round of the playoffs last season, and nearly tripled the scoring battle, 17-6.

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(image: bruinsvcanadiens.com)