{"id":875483,"date":"2026-10-08T19:44:09","date_gmt":"2026-10-08T19:44:09","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us\/875483\/"},"modified":"2026-10-08T19:44:09","modified_gmt":"2026-10-08T19:44:09","slug":"will-these-line-changes-jump-start-the-bruins-offense","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us\/875483\/","title":{"rendered":"Will these line changes jump-start the Bruins\u2019 offense?"},"content":{"rendered":"

The fourth line remained the same from Monday\u2019s loss<\/a> to the Senators, with Matt Poitras centering Tanner Jeannot and Mark Kastelic. Sean Kuraly was again the spare forward.<\/p>\n

Though Sturm wouldn\u2019t fully commit to the changes for Thursday\u2019s home game against the Mammoth, it\u2019s likely he will at least start with them after investing an entire practice with the makeover.<\/p>\n

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\u201cI want to change a little bit, but we\u2019ll see. Tried something today,\u201d said Sturm. \u201cWe\u2019ll see tomorrow when we wake up and meet again with the coaching staff and see if we like it or not and go from there.\u201d<\/p>\n

Sturm believes in consistency but acknowledged that with a shorter training camp schedule \u2014 the first practice was just three weeks ago \u2014 and several new faces in the lineup, it\u2019s been challenging finding clicking combinations. He warned, however, that it\u2019s too early to be jumping to too many conclusions.<\/p>\n

\u201cI also looked back a year ago, we talked [a lot] about the [consistency of the] Zacha line with [Viktor] Arvidsson and Mittelstadt. That was not after [one] game. [It was after] eight or nine [when they clicked],\u201d said Sturm. \u201cSo, we\u2019ve still got time to try things out. It\u2019s not going to happen overnight. It\u2019s hopefully with that short training camp, hopefully in the next little while it\u2019s going to play out and hopefully there\u2019s some lines or pairs who are going to come up and shine and will be good for our hockey team because we need it. We\u2019re just, like everyone else, we\u2019re just trying to figure it out right now and see how it goes.\u201d<\/p>\n

Zacha has moved around plenty during his time in Boston. From wing to center and from line to line. He has plenty of minutes with Pastrnak and said, \u201cWe know where we are on the ice, we know how to play together.\u201d<\/p>\n

That history should make for an easy transition.<\/p>\n

\u201cI\u2019m lucky I\u2019ve been able to play with most of the guys, most of the wingers … I think we have a great winger group, so whoever you get as a center there to play with, it\u2019s great,\u201d said Zacha. \u201cWe just have to find chemistry in a way that [will help us] be more connected on the ice.\u201d<\/p>\n

Zacha, who is coming off a season in which he had career highs in goals (30) and points (65), has been snakebitten this season. He\u2019s created chances and gotten some good looks but has yet to collect a point.<\/p>\n

He said it\u2019s important not to put added pressure on yourself when the puck isn\u2019t going in.<\/p>\n

\u201cI think if you see we score only two goals in four games, you want to be that guy to help the team,\u201d said Zacha. \u201cBut on the other hand, it\u2019s still the start of the season. I\u2019ve played in the league for a while, so I know there\u2019s ups and downs with points. It\u2019s just all you can control a little bit. If you play good, if you create chances, it\u2019s going to come eventually. Every season has ups and downs a little bit with points. And I just need to find a way to keep creating and not get frustrated with it.\u201d <\/p>\n

One of the more intriguing changes is Hagens swapping from left wing to right. Sturm was hoping it will open up some shooting space for the rookie.<\/p>\n

\u201cWith him, he ends up for some reason on that side. Anyway, even when I watched him at Boston College, as a centerman or when he played left wing, I feel like he likes that right side anyway,\u201d said Sturm. \u201cMaybe on the right side it gives him a better opportunity to shoot more pucks.\u201d<\/p>\n

***<\/p>\n

Rookie defenseman Frederic Brunet worked as the quarterback on the top power-play unit. Boston is 0 for 10 with the man advantage. \u201cWe tried Bruno out the last game<\/a> a little bit and he was fine,\u201d said Sturm. \u201cIt\u2019s just when the power play is struggling, most of the time you want to try something different, and he was good. So, he is going to get some action [against Utah] and we\u2019ll see how he does.\u201d Brunet received some pointers from Charlie McAvoy, who will assume that role next week in San Jose … Peterka, who played for the Mammoth last season, led the pre- and post-practice stretches.<\/p>\n

Jim McBride can be reached at james.mcbride@globe.com<\/a>. Follow him @globejimmcbride<\/a>.<\/p>\n