In the Boston Bruins’ first five games after the NHL trade deadline, their top line carried the load offensively. In the three games since, the second trio has taken over.
Since being reunited ahead of last Thursday’s matchup with the Carolina Hurricanes, the line of Loui Eriksson, David Krejci and David Pastrnak has run like a well-oiled goal-scoring machine.
Pastrnak, who’s struggled to find consistency in his game in his second NHL season, scored one goal against the Hurricanes and two more Saturday against the New York Islanders before adding an assist in Tuesday night’s 3-2 loss to the San Jose Sharks.
Eriksson has been even more productive since wrapping up his stint on the third line. Boston’s second-leading goal scorer has potted one in each of his last three games, including a shorthanded tally against the Sharks off a beautiful no-look pass by Krejci.
“I had a step on the defenseman, and he gave me a good pass,” Eriksson, who also tallied two assists against the Islanders, told reporters after the game, as aired on “Bruins Overtime LIVE.” “That was a great play by Krech (Krejci) there.”
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Rounding out the group, Krejci has collected four points (two goals, two assists) over the three games after managing just two over his previous eight — his worst slump of the season. He collected a goal and assist in San Jose came after missing Monday’s practice with an undisclosed ailment.
That’s 13 total points for the line over the last nine periods, a sign that the trio probably is worth keeping together as the Bruins make their final push toward the postseason. The problem Tuesday night, though, was that no other Boston line even came close to matching it.
The Brad Marchand-Patrice Bergeron-Lee Stempniak trifecta, a force following Stempniak’s deadline acquisition, was held scoreless for a second consecutive game, while the third line of Matt Beleskey, Ryan Spooner and Jimmy Hayes managed just one total shot on goal and was thoroughly dominated from a puck possession standpoint.
Boston led 2-1 at the end of one period but was held scoreless the rest of the way.
“These games could go either way,” Krejci told reporters. “They had some chances; we had some chances. They had some sloppy play defensively, and we did the same thing. So, it could have gone either way. … It’s too bad. This was really close. It’s frustrating what are you going to do about it.”
The Bruins proved last week how successful they can be when three or more lines are contributing, and they’ll need to replicate that as they enter a daunting back-to-back against the Anaheim Ducks and Los Angeles Kings — two teams that outscored the B’s 15-4 in a pair of blowout wins earlier this season.
Thumbnail photos via John Hefti/USA TODAY Sports Images
