We all figured that this Bruins team would have a hard time scoring goals and, though it’s taken nearly half a season, that time has finally arrived.

The B’s, who had been a surprisingly productive team until recently, have been held to one goal in each of their last two games have scored just six in their last four. The drought is from the top down. David Pastrnak, after notching 2-5-7 totals in his first two games back from injury, now has just 2-1-3 in his last six games. Top goalscorer Morgan Geekie has not scored in four games, his longest goalscoring skid of the season, and he’s been held to just one shot on net in each of his last two games.

The only goal they managed to score in their 2-1 overtime loss in Calgary on Monday was on an uncharacteristic rush to the net from stay-at-home defenseman Andrew Peeke when he lost the puck and it bounced in off his skate.

To break out of their current six-game slump, they’ll need more greasy goals like that. So it stood to reason that a portion of their practice in Edmonton on Tuesday had to do with work in the slot area.

“We don’t create enough scoring chances in the tough areas,” coach Marco Sturm told reporters in Edmonton. “Even (Monday) night, you could see it. We were pretty good on the outside but not on the inside. That’s where the goals get scored and that’s an area that we have to go to more.”

On the bright side, the B’s were better defensively, which had been an issue before and just after the break. They had allowed 20 goals in their previous four games before Calgary.

Jonathan Aspirot wore the goat horns in the loss to the Flames for taking the awful, unnecessary high-sticking penalty at the end of regulation that led to the game-winning goal in overtime. But his return to the lineup after being out since December 11 coincided with a marked improvement in the B’s. He was slotted in on the right side with Hampus Lindholm. That allowed Peeke, who had been struggling lately playing in the top four, to drop down to the third pairing with Mason Lorhei. The result? The B’s held the Flames to just 20 shots on net, despite taking four penalties. Calgary managed just one shot on net in the third period, and none on the two power plays they had.

“We came up short (Monday) but we did a lot of good things,” said Sturm.

They will need to do more things well on Wednesday when they take on Connor McDavid, Leon Draisaitl and the explosive Oilers. Job One will be to stay out of the penalty box, which is easier said than done for this Bruins team. They lead the league penalty minutes (536) and minor penalties (171). More often than not, they don’t fall under the category of “good” penalties. All four of the infractions that were taken on Monday were stick penalties, which often suggest the perpetrator is behind the play.

The B’s take too many of those and that may point to an underlying issue about team speed that can’t be solved overnight. But whatever the case, they can’t afford to put the Oilers on the man advantage too often. Edmonton’s power play is potent, leading the league by a large margin with a 34.9% success rate.

In the teams’ first meeting on December 18, a 3-1 Edmonton win, the B’s were able to bottle up McDavid and Draisaitl well at even strength but McDavid did his damage on special teams, with a primary assist on a power-play goal and a big insurance shorty in the third period.

While the B’s did not give up much, they also did not exploit an Oiler team that is not particularly stout defensively (3.25 goals against average, 22nd).

“Going back to the game in Boston, it was a totally different game. It was about a team playing against two guys almost. It just felt that way. I know the other guys, they play well as a team now but they’re the drivers. And if you can’t control those drivers then you’re in big trouble. I think we did a decent job actually in Boston. But again, those split moments when you leave them alone, they strike,” said Sturm.

“We almost respected them too much. We did a good job but we focused almost too much on it. There’s a fine line to it but you just have to know when they’re out there. You just have to be on the right side the puck and keep them off the power play. That’s one of the biggest things. Five-on-five, we can handle them, but the power play, they’re very very dangerous.. And the way we’ve been doing it the whole year long taking way too many, that’s dangerous. And we saw it (Monday).”…

Tanner Jeannot, who has missed the last two games with an upper body injury, returned to practice in a non-contact jersey. Henri Jokiharju, out since November 28, continued skating with the team. Sturm did not venture a guess as to when either will return.