Eriksson hat trick leads Bruins over Wild

They survived the penalty-kill, scored with a response, hit everything that moved, and even won the fight (decidedly, may I add) when Minnesota looked for a momentum-changer. Loui Eriksson scored on a puck that was tipped by one of Minnesota’s players while Brett Connolly was making a drive to the net. Eriksson has 32 points in 32 games against Minnesota. Matt Beleskey got things rolling in transition, and then Loui Eriksson and David Krejci played the give-and-go game until the Swedish winger fired it past Devan Dubnyk to give the Bruins a two goal cushion in the third period.

The Wild are off to a 10-4-3 start to the season and are looking like a Western Conference contender through the first quarter of the season but in the Central they need to find a way to separate themselves from the rest of the pack as second through sixth is separated by just five points.

The stomach bug and injury bug that has been decimating the Wild lineup all month struck again Thursday when the Wild was forced to play the Boston Bruins without two of its top defensemen. The Bergeron and Marchand line played a great first period. It was also only the second win in nine home games for the Bruins against the Wild. Eriksson became the first Bruins player to register a hat trick at TD Garden this season, and only the second player at all along with Tyler Seguin back on November 3 in a win for Dallas.

The Wild started to show a few life and played a little more in the Bruins’ zone by the end of the period and finished tied 10-10 in shots. They goal was reviewed but the call stood because Eriksson did not have a kicking motion. Center Ryan Spooner, who has 11 points in 17 games, was benched in the third period Tuesday after his penalty led to a goal. The Bruins went 1-for-4 on the power play tonight and are now 20-for-58 on the year (34.5%), the best in the National Hockey League… They peppered Dubnyk with six shots, majority testers, but the goalie held his ground.

Minnesota fell to 1-4-3 in its last eight road games and has led for just 1:12 during that stretch. He’s 7-1-0 with a 2.14 goals-against average at the Xcel Energy Center and 3-3-2 with a 2.96 GAA everywhere else.

Left winger Brad Marchand scored the Bruins’ first goal.

Zucker made it 1-all at 5:12 of the second period. The goals were varied as well: the first was a centering pass off a body in front, the second was a PP strike camped out in front and the third was a sweet wrist shot after a nifty give-and-go with David Krejci.

Jonas Gustavsson in 5 starts has allowed 3 or less goals each start. “If we have one then it’s enough to cost us a game and right now we have way too many”.

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