by For the Bruins to continue generating more shots, scoring chances and goals, the blue line needs to be more aggressive and contribute more to the effort.
Charlie McAvoy played his part in the 6-3 victory against the Montreal Canadiens in the Centennial game on Sunday. The superstar defenseman scored two goals on four shots, including one shorthanded.
It was only the second time this season that the Bruins scored multiple goals from defensemen. The previous instance was against the Florida Panthers on October 14 when Brandon Carlo and Mason Lohrei found the back of the net.
“It definitely makes a big difference for our group,” Sacco told reporters after the game when asked about McAvoy’s offense. “I thought he did it the right way tonight. He was following the play, he was moving his feet, he was skating in the right direction the whole time. When he plays like that, we become a tough team to play against .
“He kept the game in front of him, which I think was the most important thing. Everything was in front of him, no one was behind him. He had a huge impact today. When he plays like that, He makes the difference.”
McAvoy played well on Sunday, but the rest of the blue line didn’t reach his level. He was the only B defenseman to have more than one shot against the Canadiens. Mason Lohrei, Jordan Oesterle and Andrew Peeke were all held without a shot. And not a single Bruins defenseman had a shot on goal during four minutes of power play against Montreal.
McAvoy leads all Bruins defensemen with 10 points (five goals, five assists) in 26 games. He’s the only Bruins defenseman to reach 10 points this season, although Hampus Lindholm — seven points in 17 games — would almost certainly have topped 10 points right now had he not suffered a lower-body injury last month. Lindholm hasn’t played since Nov. 12 and is “still out for weeks,” according to Sacco.
The Bruins are one of 12 teams that don’t have multiple defensemen with double-digit points Monday. Boston is also one of only three teams without a defenseman to score more than 10 points.
The Bruins’ power play has been a major weakness all season. He scored at a rate of 11.7 percent, which placed him last in the league. The lack of production from defensemen is a main reason for this unit’s struggles.
McAvoy is the only B’s defenseman to score a power play goal. Lohrei (three), McAvoy (one) and Lindholm (one) are the only Bruins defensemen with assists on the power play. One goal and five assists from defensemen on the power play in 26 games is disappointing to say the least.
McAvoy needs to lead the charge offensively for the Bruins blue line, especially when Lindholm is sidelined. The 26-year-old veteran has averaged 0.97 points per 60 minutes (all situations) this season. He’s never been below 1.4 over the course of a full campaign and he posted 1.53 points per 60 minutes last season. Two years ago it was 2.09 points per 60 minutes.
McAvoy has the shooting, stickhandling ability, skating talent and offensive IQ to put up 50+ points on a yearly basis. He’s already reached the 50-point mark twice in his career (2021-22 and 2022-23), but he’s currently only on pace for 32 points this season.
Lohrei is another player with an exciting offensive skill set and the playmaking/mobility to trigger transition on the ice. The 23-year-old defenseman has played 1:39 per game on the power play this season. Giving him more than two minutes of time per game on the power play could help the struggling power play.
The Bruins have had a goal scored by a defenseman in just nine of 26 games, but they are 6-3-0 in those matchups. This roster is lacking in high-end talent up front. David Pastrnak is the only elite-level forward in the group. The Bruins can’t rely solely on their forwards to shoulder much of the responsibility for scoring most games.
The blue line needs to be more involved, pick up the pace and take as many shots on goal as possible.
