Savard's heroics mask a big problem

By Chris Maza
Fan Fanatic Sports Staff

Say what you will about whether or not Marc Savard should be playing this postseason. You can have your opinion. Mine is that the Bruins pay some guys a lot smarter than me a lot more money than I make to make those kinds of decisions.

Regardless, Savard's goal was beautiful. Not just because of the fact he was returing after the two month injury on a cheap shot. Not because he snuck it past Brian Boucher through an opening most couldn't hit a ping pong ball through. It's because in most cases Savard passes up that shot and looks for a pass. But being the intelligent player he is, he realized the golden rul of playoff hockey: In overtime, just get the puck on net and good things will happen.

But while all of that is true and all's well that ends well, Savard's overtime winner has made people forget one major thing: the Bruins were outplayed for most of that game. After a beautifully played first period, the B's fell apart in the second and third periods and did the exact opposite of what they did in the first.

They were not aggressive. They did not play well in the neutral zone. They didn't take the body. They didn't forecheck. They didn't backcheck.

The Flyers are still by my estimation an inferior opponent and if the Bruins are planning on relying on that kind of shoddy play to win, they may still beat the Flyers, but what about the Penguins if they come calling in the next round? Or even Montreal, who have been playing possibly the best hockey of the playoffs thus far?

I can tell you this: It won't be good.