BRUINS: Fourth line hopes for a breakthrough

The 2018-19 version of the Bruins’ fourth line has contributed only two goals, but Chris Wagner, Sean Kuraly and Noel Acciari see more production in their future.

BOSTON -- Saying it is one thing, pulling it off is another. The Bruins’ fourth line, however, thinks it can’t hurt to study what the Brad Marchand-Patrice Bergeron-David Pastrnak trio does almost every game.

“We’re talking about trying to create a few more plays, to know where we all are instead of having to look,” left wing Chris Wagner said. “Look at Bergie, Pasta and Marsh -- they all know where the others are going to be. We want to start to turn into something like that.”

The next chance for Wagner, center Sean Kuraly and right wing Noel Acciari comes on Thursday night against the Canucks (7:05, NESN, WBZ-FM/98.5). They’re coming off one of their most visible games of the season in Monday’s 2-1, overtime victory over the Stars, but as has almost always been the case this season, the line came away empty: Wagner and Kuraly, both 1-1--2 so far, extended scoreless streaks to nine games each, and Acciari is still looking for his first point after 14 games.

They were close on Monday. Acciari hit a post on a 2-on-1 after taking a short, clever pass from Wagner at the Stars’ blue line, and an Acciari-Kuraly 2-on-1 was denied by former B’s goalie Anton Khudobin later.

“I look at chances as the most important thing,” said Kuraly, who contributed six goals and 14 points in 75 games as a rookie last season. “I start to get worried when I’m not getting chances … (but) you want to score, and I think we’re getting closer. Definitely, our focus is on bearing down.”

Last year’s version of the fourth line, with Tim Schaller (only three assists in his first 14 games with the Canucks) at left wing, grew into a dependable energy unit that could compete against other teams’ top lines and make relatively consistent offensive contributions: Schaller had 12 goals and 22 points while Acciari, despite missing 21 games, scored 10 goals.

This year’s edition hasn’t had as much time together. Between Kuraly spending a couple of games as the No. 3 center, Ryan Donato dropping down and Wagner moving up on other occasions, and Wagner sitting out one game, the Wagner-Kuraly-Acciari unit has played together nine times. They’re expected to be intact for the fifth straight game on Thursday.

“I think in the last two games, against Dallas and Nashville (1-0 loss on Saturday), we’ve started to get a really good feel for each other,” Acciari said. “It’s a good sign that we’ve been getting chances. We’ve just got to stick to the way we play.”

Production isn’t necessarily a requirement for the line. Its ability to match up occasionally against top opposing lines relieves the Marchand-Bergeron-Pastrnak unit of some of that stress, and Wagner-Kuraly-Acciari is also tasked with playing a physical, potentially momentum-changing style. They’re the top three hitters among Bruins forwards, with Wagner leading everyone with 36, Acciari next at 33, and Kuraly third among forwards (fifth overall) with 22. All three also kill penalties.

“I think they have their personality,” coach Bruce Cassidy said. “It’s just getting them to play it on a regular basis. We’ve seen pockets of it.”

Recent performances leave Cassidy thinking he can lean on this year’s fourth line as he relied on the 2017-18 version.

“The trust factor is there,” the coach said, “and I think it’ll continue to grow.”

Around the boards: Cassidy said Jaroslav Halak would start in goal against the Canucks. … Rookie defenseman Urho Vakkanainen, sidelined since Oct. 23 by a concussion, skated on Wednesday for the first time since the injury, but didn’t practice. … Defenseman Kevan Miller, who is close to the three-week period for evaluation of a hand injury sustained Oct. 18, also skated, but defenseman Charlie McAvoy (upper body), who also last played on Oct. 18, did not.