Another shutout loss brought another reconfiguration of the forward lines for the Bruins going into Thursday's game against the Calgary Flames. One of the changes would seem to have a chance to become more permanent.

With the David Pastrnak-Elias Lindholm combination stubbornly refusing to click, coach Jim Montgomery decided to move Pavel Zacha back to center to play with Pastrnak, a combo that worked fairly well last year. Tyler Johnson, who played his first game with the B's in Toronto on Tuesday, will jump in on left wing.

Montgomery had tried that Zacha-Pastrnak pairing last week in the 8-2 loss in Carolina but that game was such a disaster that it's hard to pin it on any one line. The coach is looking to jump-start the entire offense.

"Those two have played really well together two years in a row," said Montgomery."I thought the line of (Charlie) Coyle, Zacha and and (Justin) Brazeau was doing a good job but we feel that our defensive structure game is in a good place. We don't see a lot of offense being created. Several of our last games, 5-on-5, we're not getting a lot of Grade A opportunities. But the message to the team is we're not sacrificing anything we're doing checking-wise, we just have to go to harder areas more consistently and be more direct offensively."

Montgomery said getting production from the inside ice does not just fall on the forwards.

"The way we're built, getting to the inside with our size should be a natural," said Montgomery. "I do think our forwards, when we do possess O-zone or off the rush when we're there, we're doing it. I think our defnesemen need to look to pound pucks more. Because forwards are there and they're not being rewarded. We're looking for the next play instead of being direct."

Zacha, who has played much of the season as the left wing on a line with Lindholm and Pastrnak, is looking forward to the move back to the middle.

"I feel the most comfortable playing at center," said Zacha, who was Pastrnak's center last year when the wing had 47 goals. "I know I can play also on the wing, but center is when I go to the game I feel the most comfortable. I know I'll get the most touches and I'll be playing a more defensive role, which I enjoy doing."

The hope is not only will the switch get Pastrnak's game going in the right direction but that it gooses some more production out of Zacha, a player who had 57 and 59 points in the last seasons respectively. He's got just a goal and two assists through 14 games this season. He's one of the many players on the roster from whom the B's need more.

"It's something you think about after a game but then the next day comes and you have to refocus and go into the next day with a clear head," said Zacha. "I think as long as a team we're creating, you know it's going to come one way or another. There's always ups and downs in the season. That's something I have to focus on personally, keep grinding and creating chances for me and my teammates. That's all I can do."

Playing with Pastrnak and the diminutive Johnson, Zacha will have to do some of the heavy lifting of getting to the net-front areas.

"Especially on our line, that's going to be my job there, being more around the net and being an anchor for the shots," said Zacha. "We saw some videos today that when we're there for the rebounds, we're a little bit off for the rebounds but I think that's going to come. If we keep doing that more often, it's going to pay off."...

Defenseman Nikita Zadorov has had his ups and downs in his first year with the Bruins and Montgomery said his grasp of the system is a work in progress. He's a plus-3, the only Bruins defenseman in the black there, but he's also taken a league-leading 10 minors.

"I think overall he's finding his way in our systems. At times he looks like he's understanding exactly what we're trying to accomplish and at times he looks like he's not. I wish it was just him. Then it would be easier to solve," said Montgomery...

Special teams have been way off this year for the Bruins and is the culprit for several losses this season. Their power play, which went 0-for-6 Tuesday in Toronto, is ranked 29th in the league at 13.3%. The penalty kill, long a strong suit for the team, is ranked 20th with a 76.2% kill rate. They have allowed three power-play goals in four separate games this year, including the loss in Toronto.

"It is surprising. Unfortunately we're not getting it done there....I felt our power play, besides breakouts and entries, has been getting in the last five games a lot more Grade A looks, a lot more shot-first, a lot more direct. So that's going to continue to come. We've got to get better on the breakouts," said Montgomery.

"The penalty kill, we've got a lot of guys who are getting more minutes on the penalty kill and there's not as much familiarity as there's been. And guys have to relish what they are and pay attention to detail there. I think the plan has been really good. I think the execution hasn't been there on the penalty kill."...

Andrew Peeke, who suffered an upper body injury in the first period of Tuesday's game in Toronto, will be out "week-to-week," said Montgomery.