Eriksson snaps nine-game goal-scoring drought

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BOSTON – With Brad Marchand carrying so much of the offensive load for the Boston Bruins lately, the urgency was on for some of Boston’s other playmakers to get things going. Loui Eriksson had been one of Boston’s top offensive producers this season, but he was mired in a nine-game goal-scoring funk that saw him recede to the background a bit offensively.

But Eriksson scored his first goal in 10 games on a tap-in during the first period after slick individual plays by David Krejci and David Pastrnak, and was once again rewarded by camping out at the front of the net. Pastrnak created the whole play by pressuring Cody Franson on the forecheck, and turned into a turnover on Krejci’s stick. Krejci worked it quickly to Pastrnak, who slid a pass right through a Buffalo defender to a waiting Eriksson. The Eriksson marker was Boston’s only score in regulation, and helped add up to a 2-1 overtime win for the B’s over the Buffalo Sabres at TD Garden.

The teamwork between all three top line forwards was a welcomed sight for the Black and Gold given that Pastrnak and Krejci have suffered their own offensive slowdowns, but Eriksson was the one looking to really snap the slump. He did just that while continuing to strive for performance and consistency in a spot where rumors about trades and contract extensions are swirling all around him, and could serve as distractions to a player striving for his highest level of play.

“I think the chances have been there, it’s just that it hasn’t been going in,” said Eriksson. “That was just a great play there, and it was kind of easy to put that one in. Yeah, that was one of them I think. It was a great pass by [David] Pastrnak there, and yeah it was nice to … It’s been a while since I’ve scored so it’s nice.”

In all Eriksson finished with the goal, three shots on net and a couple of giveaways in 19:35 of ice time for the Bruins, and continued to build up the chemistry with the two Davids [Krejci and Pastrnak] that Julien wanted to see when he placed the three skilled forwards together on the same line. Now it’s up to Eriksson to finish up strong, and revert to the same streaky player over the next three months while lighting it up for the B’s down the stretch.

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