Savard vows to be back
Injured center set to contribute
WILMINGTON - Before yesterday's practice at Ristuccia Arena, Marc Savard hit the ice wearing a red non-contact jersey.
For approximately 15 minutes, he skated at less than full speed, taking circles in one end and putting wrist shots on goal under the watch of strength and conditioning coach John Whitesides.
As teammates came on for practice, Savard hit the showers, wrapping up his third day on the ice since suffering a back injury against Montreal March 22. Savard acknowledged there was a break in a bone in his back.
"Felt great," said Savard. "It's getting better every day. It's going along good."
Savard missed the last seven games of the regular season because of the injury, which came courtesy of a Steve Begin cross-check. Savard said he hopes to practice today with teammates.
"I'm going to hopefully see action right away," Savard said of a possible Game 1 return. "I've been doing everything I can. I've been resting on the couch. I've been resting every day."
Savard, Boston's No. 1 center, had 15 goals and 63 assists in 74 games this season. David Krejci has emerged during Savard's absence, taking over the No. 1 pivot duties between Marco Sturm and Glen Murray. Krejci has put up a 3-6 -9 line during the seven games.
"I'm going to play and I'm going to contribute," said Savard, who has never appeared in a playoff game. "Guys have stepped up and played great right now. I'm not going to put the team in a situation where I'm out there just going through the motions at 85 percent. I want to be above 90 and be able to contribute."
Ference good to go
Andrew Ference practiced for the first time since spraining a knee March 22 and said he's ready for Game 1.
"It was right on the verge the last two games," Ference said. "But we hit the perfect scenario when we won [Friday]."
Coach Claude Julien will have to decide whether to include Ference among his six-man blue line corps and take another defenseman out of the lineup. In 59 games this year, Ference registered a 1-14 -15 line with a team-worst minus-14 rating.
"I think all of us go into practice thinking nothing but being in," Ference said. "You're not going to approach it [halfway] and wondering who's out or anything. They obviously make those decisions at game time. So everybody assumes they're going to be there to the final minute."
Ference has appeared in 51 career postseason games (with Calgary and Pittsburgh), fourth-most on the team.
Day of rest
Glen Metropolit, who took off a shot off his right foot during Saturday's 3-0 loss to Buffalo, didn't practice yesterday. "We're just being cautious and giving him a chance to recover fully," Julien said. "This is the advantage we have with these few days before it starts." Metropolit appeared in every regular-season game, one of only three Bruins to turn the trick (Phil Kessel and Mark Stuart were the others) . . . Glen Murray was also given the day off to rest various bumps and bruises . . . The Montreal power play went 10 for 33 (30.3 percent) in the eight victories over Boston this season. Overall, the Canadiens led the league with a 24.1 percent mark. "Every team has to go into the playoffs disciplined," Julien said. "I think in our case even more so, because we're playing the best power play in the league. I don't think I'm divulging much by saying that we've got to be extremely disciplined against the Montreal Canadiens. Otherwise, it's going to be a short series."
Fluto Shinzawa can be reached at fshinzawa@globe.com
