They’ll give it their best shot
Over time, players feel shootout goals will come
WILMINGTON - With little time during training camp to accomplish much more than basic system work, it’s no surprise that the Bruins’ shootout preparation has been minimal leading up to tonight’s season opener against the Capitals.
But that’s what summers are for.
“During scrimmages and stuff, there’s a lot of breakaways,’’ said Patrice Bergeron. “So that’s a good time to practice.’’
Even during the season, teams allot their practice time elsewhere, knowing that players can rely on their offseason dangling or post-practice horseplay to hone their shootout skills. But the reality is that the shootout swing - 2 precious points instead of 1 - can affect a season.
Two years ago, the Bruins went 41-29-12 and squeezed into the eighth and final playoff spot by 2 points over Carolina. Had the Bruins lost one more shootout and the Hurricanes captured one more, Carolina would have punted Boston out of eighth place.
Last season, the Bruins went a pedestrian 4-6 in shootouts. They scored 10 goals on 38 shots (26.3 percent, 26th in the NHL). The Avalanche had the league’s best shooting percentage, burying 51.2 percent of their shots. Blake Wheeler was the Bruins’ best shootout performer, making 4 of 7 shots, while P.J. Axelsson scored twice on five attempts.
But production tailed off after Wheeler and Axelsson. Bergeron missed on all seven attempts. Phil Kessel, who was dynamite in the No. 3 hole the previous season (5 for 12, with all five game-deciding goals), buried only 1 of 8 shots.
Coach Claude Julien, however, isn’t concerned about how his team will perform this season.
“What’s going to help this year is that Bergy’s found his groove,’’ Julien said. “Blake Wheeler was our best shootout guy last year. With Bergy back in, I think we start with two really reliable ones. We lost our secret weapon in Axelsson, so we’ll have to find somebody else to fill that one.
“We’ll be fine. I think we’ve got enough guys there.’’
During back-to-back preseason shootouts, Julien tapped Wheeler and Bergeron as his first two shooters. Wheeler scored against Columbus but was stopped in Montreal. Bergeron thought he had beaten Mathieu Garon in Columbus, but his goal was negated because he hit the puck twice. The following game, Bergeron curved in toward the goal from the right side, then paused when Jaroslav Halak tried to poke the puck away. After the slight hesitation, Bergeron fired a forehand past Halak.
“To be honest, I go out there and have an idea,’’ Bergeron said. “But [against Montreal] in the shootout, I switched my mind. Sometimes you’ve got to take whatever’s there and don’t think too much. Some goalies know what you’re going to do as much as you know what their tendencies are.’’
Other shootout candidates include Mark Recchi, Marco Sturm, Zdeno Chara, and Dennis Wideman.
In previous seasons, the Bruins preferred to have one spare forward and defenseman. But given the club’s tightness against the $56.8 million salary cap and Sobotka’s entry-level flexibility (the third-year pro doesn’t have to clear waivers), he may have been a cap casualty. Sobotka is due to earn $625,000 this season.
Sobotka was pegged to be the 13th forward, able to play center or wing. He was especially effective against the Canadiens last week, when he skated well and delivered big hits. After the game, Julien said Sobotka had performed the way he did two years ago as a rookie, when he made 48 NHL appearances.
The Bruins are approximately $1.5 million under the salary cap.
Fluto Shinzawa can be reached at fshinzawa@globe.com. 
