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Savard gives Bruins new life

TIM WHARNSBY

From Monday's Globe and Mail

Latest comment posted at 1:01 PM EST 14/04/08

Marc Savard scores in overtime as Boston edges the Habs 2-1 and cuts Montreal's lead in the series
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  1. Nicolas Perrot from Ottawa, Canada writes: Montreal was clearly the better team tonite, albeit a bit less disciplined than usual. Nice sneak by Savard in ot.

    As I'm typing Calgary is losing 3-0 after less than 4 minutes of play.
  2. R Miller from Halifax, Canada writes: Great game tonight -- I agree that Montreal was the better team of the two tonight.

    I didn't actually see the penalty in OT that allowed Savard to come on as the extra attacker for Boston, but I guess we have to take the referees' word for it that there actually was one. The CBC didn't seem to actually show the Habs' penalty in OT.

    It was also excellent having some intelligent hockey analysis by Kelly Hrudey between periods. Refreshing change, I thought.

    Cheers.
  3. Alexander Slimnich from Canada writes: GO BRUINS!!
  4. m corbridge from boston, United States writes: What a game! I was there to challenge the jeers and cheers from the Canadiens fans. The team that won was clearly the better team, and they would have been the better team the previous night if not for a suspect penalty call in OT. From what I could see, the Boston fans were clearly the better fans as they tossed a couple of overly mouthy Habs fans out of the building. Southie meets St. Henri, and it aint much of a contest. Tuesday night the Black and Gold will even up the series against the bleu, blanc and rouge - you watch.
  5. M Warren from Ottawa, Canada writes: The Bruins might upset the Canadiens if Thomas continues to stand on his head, and potential scorers like Savard and Chara step up.
  6. John LaBattaglia from Toronto, Canada writes: Ok, I'm a huge Habs fan but man where did their playing abilities go tonight. They barely brought anything into play all they did was dump dump dump and Patrice Briseby, what the heck is he doing on the ice. They guy had a few occasions to take a shot on goal and did not, that's why he wass traded 10 years ago. Get him of the ice please please please.
    Carey Price reminds me of Ken Dryden and the now disgraced Patrick Roy. He was simply amazing.
    Carbo should change his lines up.
    Good game by Boston and refs doing their lousy jobs as usual
  7. steve allan from Canada writes: Claude Julien hockey is back ....clutch and grab with a heavy dose of neutral zone traps. It makes for dreadful hockey but it sure is effective against a more talented team.

    This series is not a showcase for the so-called 'new NHL'.

    The Canadiens will have to get a stronger effort out of their European players who have gone AWOL under this sort of defensive scheme. Plekanec has yet to show up in the series. Guess what? it's not going to get any easier.

    The best players for Montreal are the grinders and third line players. That's not a good sign. I still think the Habs will find a way to counter the Bruins' stifling defensive play but it will only happen with hard work.
  8. Alberto Bayo from Canada writes: The B's certainly came to play. They were hungry, hard-hitting and played the game with intensity and urgency. The Canadiens seemed flat for the first while, then got stronger. For a low scoring match, it was an exciting game with outstanding goaltending at both ends of the rink. That Milan Lucic is an excellent young skater for the Bruins. What's happened to the Habs power-play though? Maybe Captain Koivu should be rushed back into action if game four still has the Tricolore's scoring dryed up. C'mon Habs...what's happened to the regular seasons "goals for" leaders? Lets hope for a more solid effort on Tuesday. GO HABS GO
  9. R Miller from Halifax, Canada writes: Not making excuses, but it was a back to back weekend game after an overtime game the night before... I would expect to see more from the Montreal skaters in the next game...

    The Bruins do rely alot on clutching and grabbing... What else is new?

    Canadiens will just have to find a way to fight through it without simply dumping the puck in all the time...

    Cheers.
  10. James C from Chaozhou, Guangdong, China writes: the wheels are fallin off of montreal fast. good thing i'm not a habs fan any longer... :-)
  11. Rupert Bumfrey from Dubai, United Arab Emirates writes: James C, what total rubbish. Even the mighty Habs are allowed to drop one especially in overtime once in a while. Les Canadiens Sont La.

    The winning goal was a good goal scored because of good coaching by Claude but that doesn't mean the Habs have just lost the season. It will be a cold day in hell when the Habs lose to the Bruins.
  12. R Miller from Halifax, Canada writes: James C from Chaozhou, Guangdong, China:

    2008 series versus Boston : 10 Wins -- 1 Loss

    These facts don't seem to actually support any argument that the wheels are fallin off...
  13. Scot Loucks from Pickering, Canada writes: Not sure who outplayed who in this game.... of course I missed most of it while losing my playoff game :(

    I did see Boston scoring the first goal... seems to me you need to score to win.... so.... kudo's to Boston. With any luck this will light a fire under the habs collective asses.

    Cheers
  14. robert quinn from Japan writes: Excellent result.
  15. George S from Toronto, Canada writes: I hope the Habs get the split Tuesday night in Boston. I remember a couple of seasons ago when my Habs went up 2 games agaist Carolina in their playoff season. Carolina went on to win the next 4 games and the series- and eventually the Cup! The Habs definitely need a split in Boston. Come on Carbo and lift the Habs up with some inspirational coaching words. Carbo usually mixes up the lines quite a bit. Hope that Koivu returns to his regular form soon.
  16. Scot Loucks from Pickering, Canada writes: George S.

    Koivu's three weeks are almost up... and I would bet the farm on Montreal winning this round.

    Not sure on the next one.... but will bet on them next year.

    Cheers
  17. Al MacDonald from Cathedral of Hockey, Canada writes: Best hockey the Bruins played all year. This one could have gone either way. Price made some spectacular saves and is looking like the real deal. Unfortunately for Montreal, Boston has figured out how to deal with their superior speed and passing abilities. Next game will definitely go to the team, best able to grind it out in the corners. Montreal finally started to dump the puck on the goal more in the third period and go to the net for rebounds, instead of waiting for the perfect setup opportunity. This will pay off in a couple dirty goals next game. But a great third period and OT. Unfortunately the wrong team won. Tuesday night: Montreal 4 Boston 2. Then the Habs will wrap it up at home with a shutout.

    Go habs Go!
  18. Earl Anthony from Canada writes: Hard fought game. Both goaltenders were sensational!

    Habs will have to adapt to Bruins clogging up the middle of the ice. But one game does not a series make.

    Go Habs go!
  19. bob smith from Canada writes: Another hatchet job by the pro-Habs refs. Good game by the Bruins though. They outskated, outhit and outplayed the Canadiens. Montreal had two or three spurts during regulation and was outplaying the Bruins in OT before the goal, but those saying Montreal controlled the game are delusional. If not for an incredibly obvious interference/pick play by Smolinski on Kostopolous' goal, Thomas should have had a shutout.
  20. Willard Kurtz from Toronto, Canada writes: I predicted Boston would win this game. Montreal always comes out flat in these back to back games and Boston was pumped at home - fatigue will benefit a clutch and grab team over a more skilled speed based team. Even though Montreal's speed game was absent and they looked off from the getgo, it took a "stand on his head" performance from Tim Thomas, a bad line change and a delayed penalty for Boston to eke out a 1 goal win in an overtime in which they were being dominated. Keep dreaming Ruins fans but your team squeaked into the 8th playoff spot for a reason. Look for the Habs to be faster and cripser in the offensive zone on Tuesday. Montreal in 5 just like my pool prediction.
  21. bob smith from Canada writes: Clutch and grab....please. Everytime a Bruin gives a Canadien a dirty look he gets a penalty, they haven't laid a hand on them. Granted, when Montreal has time to wheel out of their end, Boston is backing up and clogging up the neutral zone. But, so does Montreal (and every team in the league) when an attacking team sets up behind their net and breaks out.

    Boston has outplayed the Habs two games in a row because they are forechecking more than they did in the first game and for much of the regular season. They're sending two players in and disrupting Montreal's transition game. Montreal's D will never be first to the puck in the face of a hard forecheck. They will stall, let the Bruin in first and then hope to hit him....only Komisarek is willing to take a hit to make a play.

    Montreal is the better team, and should win the series. Boston needs to play a near-perfect game to win while Montreal only needs a B game to win with their depth and goaltending. I don't know if the Bruins have 3 more perfect games in them...we'll see. Either way, Montreal will limp into the second round and other teams will copy Boston's blueprint and pound the Habs out.
  22. Dave Miller from Canada writes: Boston was bound to take one eventually...

    It must have been hard for Chara to be booed in his own arena. He fought through it though....

    Habs in five.
  23. Scot Loucks from Pickering, Canada writes: Will this wake the habs up?

    Will Koivu come back?

    Montreal should still win... but remember fans... they are a first year team. Give them a break...... remember the Pens last year and Washington this year.

    Cheers
  24. Ryan M from Ottawa, Canada writes: It was incredible to see how many Habs fans were at that game. A playoff game....just crazy. Where were the Bruins fans?

    Good to see Boston make a series of it. They just might stop these Habs by shutting them down in neutral ice. Plekanec has been a non-factor so far.

    As a previous poster mentioned, the supporting cast is stepping up. Lapierre has been decent and has played his role well. Smolinksi as well.

    Godo to see Savard get his first ever playoff goal...what a creative player.

    Anyone see Avery's antics last night? That guy takes being a pest to another level.
  25. Alberto Bayo from Canada writes: Scot Loucks from Pickering, Canada writes: Will this wake the habs up?

    Will Koivu come back?

    It's been three weeks since Koivu was injured. The Captains absence hurts. His line has been minimalized without him, and the Canadiens are without their second-best offensive threat and their best face-off man. Saku's also great at digging for the puck against the boards. People can rave about Kovy and the Kotitsyn's...but the Habs need their heart and soul back. If the Canadiens lose game four....Saku just might freeze the foot and play. Hopefully that won't be necessary and Captain K. returns fully healed for round two....GO HABS GO
  26. Andrew Bisson from Ottawa, Canada writes: Excellent post Bob Smith.
    I can't believe some Habs fans are blaming the referees. The refs have clearly called more penalties on the Bruins; many legitimate, but some while duped by dives.
    And I don't understand how a team is playing a trap by sending two forecheckers in to the opposition area. If that is a trap, EVERY team plays it.
    Like with the Sens, the Habs are getting great, gritty performances by the third and fourth line guys. The stars have to play that way too.
    Julien was smart to try to put Lucic out against Komisarek, the best Habs shut-down defenceman. They had a great battle yesterday. Lucic is what, 19? Can't wait to follow his development.
  27. R Miller from Halifax, Canada writes: Ryan M from Ottawa, Canada:

    I thought that Sean Avery's antics were disgraceful...

    Surprised that both Nova Scotia's Colin White did not "politely" ask Mr. Avery to stop his gyrations in front of Brodeur and that the referees did not assign him a penalty for interfering with Brodeur.

    The league needs to put a stop to Avery's sort of behaviour or the players likely will. Avery wouldn't have been dancing like that if Scott Stevens/Ken Danyko had been playing D for NJ...

    Anyways, I am glad that NJ came back and won the game.

    Cheers.
  28. bob smith from Canada writes: MacLean had it right during the intermission. Give him a warning and then a 10-minute misconduct.
  29. North Vietnamese Troops From Mongolia from Canada writes: Habs fans remind me of Liberal voters - bitter as hell after a loss and making up every excuse in the book as to why it happened.
  30. Scot Loucks from Pickering, Canada writes: If you want to talk about Avery... try the Devils thread.

    Cheers
  31. Rain Couver from Canada writes: As a big Habs fan, I am concerned that ll the games go into OT. Even if Montreal wins the series, what does their performance, meaning the fact that they should be trouncing the Bruins at this stage, mean for going the distance?
  32. Bob Fugger from Victoria, BC, Canada writes: That was a great game - and Carbo's right, Boston was due for a win. Montreal was outright robbed on some chances - good on Thomas for stepping up.

    Who can blame Montreal for losing this one, it being their 3rd game in 4 nights, this one on the road. I know that Boston played the in the same games, but they were hungry, at home and due. How does the NHL set its schedules? I'll bet they get a monkey to throw feces at a squares-board.

    Speaking of being at home, who was the home team, anyway? The city of Boston ought to be ashamed of itself for having ANY playoff tickets left.

    GO HABS GO!!!!
  33. Willard Kurtz from Toronto, Canada writes: Rain Couver - with it being the playoffs plus Boston's style and the streaky play of Thomas, I expected a fairly low scoring series. Even in the season series there were a few close ones. The problem is, Thomas has two spectacular games and then he comes back to earth and lets in the softies. From what I've seen of Price so far, the guy is incredibly steady, you're going to have to screen him and make the perfect shot or get him on a bang bang passing play like Savard's goal. Sill you're not going to get too far in the SCP relying on the Kostopoulis-Smolinski-Begin line for your offence. The top tiers need to start finishing. I think Kovalev's line will come back tomorrow with a strong game. Having Koivu back would definitely help (esp. the PP) but they should beat the Bruins without him.
  34. Neil no more last name from Mississauga, Canada writes: Ryan M from Ottawa, Canada writes:...Anyone see Avery's antics last night? That guy takes being a pest to another level.

    Yeah that was .... what's the word....amatuer...childish....ridicolous. How easily can that turn into a slash in the head? if he's "bumped" from behind or whatever. Even with the Goalie bucket, still a dangerous play. See Drury come over and tell him to keep his stick down?? dumbness, Broduer needs a reason to get motivated and Avery just gave it to him...

    Anways, Habs in 6. Price is J.C. Petite, but human sized.

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