Bruins-Islanders Notes: Top-Line Chemistry Still Work In Progress

Milan Lucic, David Krejci and Loui Eriksson skated as a line for the first time in the preseason during Tuesday nights 5-3 loss to the New York Islanders, and it was clear that more game time is needed for this trio to start clicking.

Hopefully we can get something together quickly. Its kind of a tough game too with penalties, especially in the second there it was tough to get a good feeling out of it, Eriksson said. Definitely we need some more games here maybe and get the connection going. Just work hard. We have a little bit of time to improve and get better and definitely we can work on some more stuff the next game.

The Lucic-Krejci-Eriksson trio combined for just five shots and zero points as a unit against the Islanders. Eriksson picked up an assist on Brad Marchands third-period goal after killing a penalty.

I dont think that line as a whole had a good game, either of them. When I say great game, they were just OK. I dont think they were a dominant line tonight, Bruins head coach Claude Julien said. Probably hard to assess as far as will that line work or not. Definitely we need to see them play a little bit better. Hopefully as camp progresses, thats going to happen.

Finding chemistry and understanding where linemates are going to be in certain situations probably will take a few regular-season games to accomplish. These guys didnt play much together last season, and they werent able to begin the preseason as a trio because Lucic was recovering from offseason surgery on his left wrist.

Eriksson has the most adjustments to make as the newcomer to the line, but he does have plenty of top-six experience from his seven seasons playing for the Dallas Stars, with whom he averaged 29.5 goals scored from 2008-09 through 2011-12.

Im just going to try to do everything I can and just work hard, Eriksson said. (Krejci and Lucic) have been playing together for a while so they know each other really well. You just go out there and try to work as hard as you can and try to help them.

Julien said fourth-line center Gregory Campbell is improving, but theres no timetable for his return. Julien recently revealed that Campbell is questionable for the regular-season opener on Oct. 8.

Forward prospect Bobby Robins is an exciting player to watch. He finishes his checks, delivers monster hits, gives 100 percent effort on each shift, and his energy is contagious. Robins had a team-high seven hits Tuesday night and is among several forwards competing for a bottom-six forward job.

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Bruins-Islanders Notes: Top-Line Chemistry Still Work In Progress