BOSTON – In a coach’s playbook, hooking the goalie even when a barrage isn’t his fault is standard procedure for a team looking for a spark. By using the backup, a coach hopes, it will attract the attention of the other players.

The general manager has a similar goal: fire the coach.

Whether GM Don Sweeney or coach Jim Montgomery is more to blame for the Boston Bruins’ 8-9-3 start is difficult to answer. The Bruins are a mess everywhere, from goaltending to defense, from five-on-five offense to special teams.

But a coach’s responsibilities include finding answers and getting the most out of his players.

Montgomery falls short on both fronts.

The Bruins haven’t scored all season. Their power play and penalty kill have always been poor. Turnover happens all the time.

Meanwhile, you can say that five players performed as expected: Justin Brazeau, Mark Kastelic, Cole Koepke, Joonas Korpisalo and Hampus Lindholm. Everyone else has underperformed, some more than others. Elias Lindholm would take center stage in the latter category.

None of this reflects well on Montgomery.

“Everyone goes through struggles. Whether it’s (in your) life or your team,” Montgomery said after Monday’s 5-1 upset of the Columbus Blue Jackets. “That’s what life is about. How do you pick yourself up? It’s not about how hard you fall. It’s about how quickly you pick yourself up.”

Montgomery may not have time to do that anymore.

The third-year coach, who is in the final season of his contract, pointed out that the Bruins are in a playoff position after 20 games. This is true. They are currently the No. 2 wild card and fourth in the Atlantic Division.

This might be the Bruins’ biggest magic trick yet, because their numbers tell a different story.

Only the Pittsburgh Penguins (minus-25) and San Jose Sharks (minus-22) have a worse goal difference than the minus-21 Bruins. Boston ranks last in power play (11.7 percent). Their penalty kill (75.6 percent) is No. 25. Jeremy Swayman, who missed all of training camp, has a save percentage of .884.

“I don’t think missing training camp helps anyone,” Montgomery said. “That’s why you have training camps.”

Jeremy Swayman allowed five goals on 29 shots against the Blue Jackets. (Bob DeChiara/Imagn Images)

If Swayman had signed earlier and probably left some of his $66 million on the table, he could have been further along in his game. Perhaps he would have knocked aside Mathieu Olivier’s short backhander instead of letting it slide through his pads. Maybe he would have saved Charlie Coyle, Brandon Carlo, Pavel Zacha or Mason Lohrei, all of whom turned the puck on the ice before Columbus scored four rushing goals.

“I tried to undress the man but it didn’t work,” Coyle admitted of Olivier’s man-down goal. ‘It’s up to me not to let him go to the net. That’s strictly up to me.”

What’s done is done. Swayman’s priority is to find his confidence, clean up his game and prove to his teammates he was right by playing hard. If Swayman continues to take steps backwards, he won’t have many friends in the locker room anymore.

“I think I’ve had enough time now to adjust and get back into the swing of things,” Swayman said. “I think the biggest thing I lost was this group. I’m really trying to overwhelm just being back in the room and being a leader. I want my play to speak for that. So I have to go one step further. That’s exactly what I’m going to do.”

David Pastrnak didn’t get any shots Monday. Neither did Zacha, whose turnover led to a James van Riemsdyk tip-in goal late in the first period. Lohrei, an attacking defenseman, had zero shots while scoring four Columbus goals.

Team-wide, the Bruins’ puck play was not up to NHL standards. This has happened regularly this season.

“Not happy with the way things are going,” Brad Marchand said. “We have to be much better in many areas. Mistakes can occur in a game. We’re just putting them together. It is not acceptable to keep making the same mistakes.”

The Bruins went 1-for-6 on the power play. The second unit scored the only goal. The No. 1 unit did nothing. Again, this follows the pattern of the Bruins’ best players being among their worst.

“To be successful in this league, special teams has to be really good,” Marchand said. “Powerplay must be able to express itself in big moments. We just didn’t do that at all. Each of us needs to be much better out there. We should be excited about this opportunity. It is a privilege to participate in the power game. It’s not a given, right? We have to be much better. We have to be much better than what we have been. There is no responsibility in that area. There is no excuse. We have to be better.”

Sweeney tries. He promoted Riley Tufte from Providence last Saturday. Tufte responded by being on the ice for two of the St. Louis Blues’ three goals. A day later, Sweeney kicked Tufte back to the AHL.

On Monday, the GM brought up Jeffrey Viel. Koepke was a healthy scratch. Viel fought Olivier in the first period. The Bruins didn’t use the energy well.

Sweeney may have no choice but to take a bigger step. Montgomery may have reached the end of the line.

(Top photo of Mathieu Olivier and Adam Fantilli reacting after Olivier scored a goal against Boston: Bob DeChiara / Imagn Images)