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Bruins ‘not making the plays we should be making,’ says Chiarelli

Peter Chiarelli

Boston Bruins general manager Peter Chiarelli speaks during a news conference in Boston, Tuesday, July 24, 2012, where it was announced head coach Claude Julien was granted a long-term contract extension. Julien has coached the Bruins for five seasons, and won the Stanley Cup in 2011. (AP Photo/Bill Sikes)

AP

Boston is 3-2-0 thus far with 12 goals scored -- not a bad start to the season, but certainly not great.

Just ask the GM.

“We’re missing the net a lot,” Peter Chiarelli told the Boston Herald following Monday’s 3-2 loss to Detroit. “We’re not making the plays we should be making.”

Chiarelli explained that while he’s “OK” with his team’s start to the season -- saying he likes the effort, personnel and puck movement -- there is concern about the club’s inability to score goals.

Through five games, Boston sits 25th in 5-on-5 goals (seven), 25th in 5-on-4 goals (two) and 20th in goals per game (2.40).

“I think we’re squeezing our sticks,” Chiarelli explained. “We’re getting a lot of chances. Our scoring will come. We are getting a lot of looks.”

One of the prime culprits for Boston’s lack of goals is Jarome Iginla. The 36-year-old winger leads the team with 19 shots on goal and is playing heavy minutes -- 21:13 against Detroit on Monday -- but has yet to find the back of the net.

Iginla is trying to stay positive, but admits the scoring drought is frustrating.

“I think it’s probably just being a little too anxious,” he told CSNNE. “[I’m] just lifting my head up. You want to get that goal for the team, and just get one, and get feeling it. At times you squeeze a little too hard, it’s all those clichés and sayings you hear.

“You try to swing a little too hard and lift [your] head a little bit. [I’m] just not in a grove there where you just want to kind of will it into the net as opposed to letting it happen.”