With just one goal in his first 13 games and his overall game struggling, Brad Marchand knew he needed to turn things around and find his game. In Tuesday’s loss to the Stars, Marchand had arguably his best game of the season but still couldn’t find the back of the net.

You could see in Tuesday’s game that it was sooner rather than later in regards to when Marchand would pick up his second goal of the year as his play was getting much better. Sooner came just one game later as Marchand knocked in a loose puck that trickled through the pads of Panthers goalie Scott Clemmensen in the Bruins 4-1 win over the Panthers Thursday night.

The goal was Marchand’s first in 13 games, the longest goal drought he has gone through since his rookie year.

“Yeah and I think he scored the goal the way we know he scores” said Bruins head coach Claude Julien. “

“Made a great play at the blueline and then just skated to the net and was able to jump on that loose puck. He talked about moving his feet and when he moves his feet he creates things and he scores himself some goals too.”

Although it wasn’t the prettiest of goals, Marchand was at the right place at the right time, a sign that luck has changed for the fourth-year forward.

“Yeah it’s really nice to finally get one” said Marchand. “It’s been a while and I forget what it felt like but it’s only a lucky goal like that and it’s nice to get the monkey off the back.”

Getting the monkey off his back is exactly what he did with his goal Thursday night. After his goal Marchand was seen taking the pretend monkey off his back and throwing the monkey to the ice.

“Just getting the monkey off the back pretty much. Like I said it’s been a while and just a good feeling.”

Marchand made a risky pinch to set up the play that eventually led to his goal. That’s something you may not have seen him do a few games ago, but as his game gets back to normal, Marchand’s confidence is growing, and confidence in his game is what Marchand needs to make a play like that.

“Yeah it was risky; if they bat it down it’s a different situation. But he made the play, and not only that he came back high enough to make that play and also he started heading right to the net as soon as he made the pass. So those are things that Brad is known for” added Julien.

With just two wins in their last six games, and a big game coming up Saturday with the Toronto Maple Leafs, Marchand hopes his goal is what turns things around for him and the team.

“I think yeah it can definitely start our swing to playing better. You got to start somewhere and I think we definitely feel like tonight we started that trend so we have to make sure we have a good day at practice tomorrow and continue to play well next game.”