On the night when an elite, highly skilled center returned to the Bruins lineup, it became glaringly apparent that the team already had another player on its roster who could fill that description and play outstanding hockey.
Marc Savard made his highly anticipated return, but it was Patrice Bergeron who continued to deliver game-wining performances in any manner possible. Bergeron assisted on all four goals as the Bruins skated to a 4-2 victory over the Blues on Monday.
The win was the third in a row for Boston, all on the road and all in some measure the result of a game-deciding effort by Bergeron.
Thursday in Atlanta, he scored the only goal of the shootout in a 4-3 Boston victory. Friday in Buffalo, he deflected a Zdeno Chara shot for the overtime game-winner.
Against the Blues Monday, Bergeron assisted on power-play tallies by Marc Recchi and Blake Wheeler, an even-strength goal by Milan Lucic and a shorthanded effort by Marco Sturm.
“It was a good effort for us. St. Louis is a team that comes very hard on the forecheck each and every shift. We needed to match that,” Bergeron said. “It’s the first time this year we have won three in a row. We’re pretty happy about that, but we have to worry about the next game now.”
The four-assist night was not a new career best for Bergeron — he generated five against Ottawa in December 2006 — but it was his best point production for a game this season.
“To be honest, the puck was just bouncing our way and going in,” Bergeron said. “We’ll take it.”
The Bergeron “whatever it takes tour” will now wind its way to St. Paul, Minn., where the Bruins will look to complete a perfect four-game road trip by defeating the Wild on Wednesday.
Here’s what we can mull over in the meantime.
SLOW START FOR SAVARD
It was a quiet night for Savard, the All-Star center who returned to the Boston lineup for the first time since breaking his left foot in Phoenix on Oct. 17.
“I felt a little rusty there at times,” said Savard, who logged 16½ minutes of ice time while skating with Sturm and Byron Bitz. “I had some chances, felt pretty good. I think it’s coming.”
Savard did not register a shot on goal, nor was he on the ice for any of the Bruins goals, but he did win 50 percent (7-14) of his faceoffs.
“It’s huge having Marc back,” Wheeler said. “It gives us tremendous depth at our center position.”
IDENTIFYING THE TOP LINE IS A CHALLENGE
While much of the pregame chatter Monday focused on the notion that Bitz had been moved to the B’s top line with Savard, it was equally plausible that Lucic has actually been moved onto the B’s top line with Bergeron.
During most of Savard’s absence, Bergeron has centered the Bruins’ top offensive line, with Recchi and Sturm on the wings. Lucic skated in Sturm’s spot Monday, with the trio leading the B's forwards in ice time and Lucic scoring his second goal since returning to the lineup in Atlanta on Thursday.
With Bergeron, who leads the Bruins in scoring, showcasing an improved ability to add to the team’s offense this season, coach Claude Julien is not limited to having him serve as a checking center. At this juncture, Bergeron is just as likely to be considered the team’s top offensive threat as well.
Bergeron has averaged 19:26 of ice time this season, with Savard checking in with 18:12 per game before he was injured. Although the return of Savard could lead to Bergeron having slightly less ice time, given Bergeron’s strong two-way game it will be tough to resolve to play him less.
“He’s been our most consistent and best forward, he shows up every night,” Julien said. “What you saw tonight is what he does every night. … He’s doing it all.”
A POWERFUL FRIEND RETURNED
Aside from Savard jumping back into the lineup, the Bruins also welcomed back another long lost friend Monday, as the power play returned to score two goals.
Boston entered the game with the worst power play in the league, one that had gone 4-for-45 during the 15 games when Savard was out of the lineup. That quickly changed against the Blues, even if that was not the direct result of the type of playmaking Savard ultimately will provide.
“Our power play scores two goals tonight and ironically [Savard] is not on the ice for either one of them. It goes to show there is more in our dressing room than just the one player,” Julien said. “Still, him coming back and giving us one look on the power play and being able to move guys around and being able to make things work was important for us.”
In the first period, Recchi swatted a puck out of mid-air during a man-advantage to give Boston a quick lead. After St. Louis tied the game, Dennis Wideman and Bergeron worked the puck to Wheeler for a one-time blast, putting the Bruins back in front 2-1.
It was just the second time this season, and first since Oct. 3, that Boston has scored more than one power-play goal in a game.
“We’ve been struggling a little bit on the power play,” Bergeron said. “Getting those two goals was a key.”
David Solomon contributed to this report from St. Louis.
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