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The Bruins' top line of (left to right) P.J. Axelsson, Glen Murray, and Marc Savard has had many occasions to celebrate lately. (Elsa/Getty Images) |
UNIONDALE, N.Y. - Good times are rolling for Marc Savard, who enters tonight's game against New Jersey with the longest active scoring streak in the NHL, 10 games.
During the streak, the Bruins' No. 1 center has two goals and 15 assists, setting up go-to gunner Glen Murray and drawing the attention of opposing top defensemen.
"Just trying to go out every night and try to help the team win," said Savard after yesterday's practice at Nassau Coliseum. "Obviously, I want to produce offensively.
"It just so happens that things are working out. Not something I'm really thinking about or really like to talk about."
In the first five games of the club's current road trip (3-2), the Savard line has combined for 14 points. Tonight against the Devils, Savard has a good chance of going head-to-head with John Madden, New Jersey's defensive-minded center.
There was a time, however, when Savard and Murray hardly produced like top-line players.
For 13 straight games in October and early November, Murray didn't score a goal. Savard, the No. 9 scorer in the league last season (22-74 -96), was nowhere to be seen among the NHL's top 10 point men. Peter Schaefer, the No. 1 left wing, was bringing little offense to the team.
So on Nov. 1, coach Claude Julien tried a line first assembled last season by former Boston boss Dave Lewis, replacing Schaefer with checking-line winger P.J. Axelsson.
When Lewis put together the line, he was met with skepticism. For his entire NHL career, Axelsson had been known as a defensive forward, taking advantage of his hockey sense and positioning to neutralize some of the league's top gunners.
But Lewis explained that he liked the defensive presence Axelsson brought to the line, balancing the go-go approach of Savard and Murray.
"I know they had played together at one point last year," said Julien. "For the longest of times, if you remember when we made that change, we weren't really producing and we weren't scoring. I decided to see if we could put some chemistry back together.
"When a team's not able to score goals, you make changes and try different line combinations to see if you can find something to spark the team."
Offense didn't come right away for Savard's line. But Julien liked the way the line played defensively - Aaron Ward joked that Savard, who was matched against dangerous centers like Toronto's Mats Sundin, was becoming a shut-down defensive specialist - and was confident they would find ways to start putting pucks on nets.
Five games into his line's new alignment, Savard kicked off his current scoring streak, recording an assist in Boston's 2-1 win over Buffalo Nov. 10. Two games later, Murray snapped his goalless streak, potting two in a 7-4 loss to Montreal Nov. 17. Starting with that performance, Murray has netted seven strikes in the last eight games.
Axelsson has only 4 points (2 goals, 2 assists) in the 15 games he's skated on the top line. But Savard credits Axelsson's defense for creating space and leading to offensive opportunities.
When the threesome controls the puck in the offensive zone, Axelsson often serves as the high man, with Savard controlling the puck and Murray looking for shots. When the opposing team gains control of the puck, Axelsson has been effective in filling clearing lanes, getting his stick on pucks to keep plays going in the offensive zone.
"He does the little things really well," said Savard. "He's really good defensively, so it helps us get a little more confidence and stay down low for an extra second. He's great at getting back. Me and Muzz have been getting back, too, but he's been good all around."
It's become a line that Julien can depend on in tight situations. Savard is the team's most gifted playmaker, but Julien has sent him out for defensive-zone faceoffs on the penalty kill and against dangerous centers in even-strength situations. When he wasn't scoring, Murray backchecked effectively. Axelsson remains an effective two-way wing.
"It's balance," said Axelsson. "Savvy is such a good passer. Muzz is such a good goal scorer. So I like to do a lot defensively."
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