While the Bruins rank second in the league in goals per game (3.92) and third in overall goals (102), only 11 of those tallies have come from defensemen. Hampus Lindholm leads the way with four, while Charlie McAvoy and Connor Clifton have contributed two goals apiece. Matt Grzelcyk, Derek Forbort, and Jakub Zboril all have one each.
McAvoy's goal on Nov. 23 in Florida is the last Bruins' marker from a blue liner, a span of six games.
"Just getting some more shots on net," Lindholm, who hasn't scored since Nov. 3, said of how to create more from the back end. "You get the puck on net and good things happen. That's just the way the league works now. It's hard enough to get an opportunity. If you have it, take it, activate.
"I think we've been doing a good job. We have a lot of guys who can score and put the puck in the back of the net, so we just have to keep harping on it. The biggest thing maybe is we need to have that first shot, take it because good things happen."
Montgomery said that at times, he will opt to pair his blue liners together for offensive purposes, but that ultimately the pairings will be based upon what is best to accentuate their individual strengths.
"We're always gonna try to put our players in the best situation to have success, whether that's [Lindholm and McAvoy] playing together or it might be Grizzy and Mac playing together in an offensive situation, might be Lindholm and Brando playing together for a defensive situation," said Montgomery. "We're always gonna try to put our players in the best position for their skill set."
