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Savard scores twice as Bruins bounce back

Jan 6, 2007 - 10:59 PM BOSTON (Ticker) -- Marc Savard and the Boston Bruins got exactly what they needed to overcome an embarrassing loss - a visit from the Philadelphia Flyers.

Savard scored a pair of goals as the Bruins rebounded from a blowout defeat with a 4-3 victory over the lowly Flyers.

On Thursday, the Bruins held a 2-1 lead after one period before allowing nine consecutive goals in a 10-2 home loss to Toronto, their third straight setback.

"We played a better game than we did the other night," Bruins coach Dave Lewis said. "I saw a lot of things that were good, but it's just one victory. We skated well both ways, not just one way."

The Bruins had scored only three goals during their skid but managed that many in the first period against the Flyers, who entered the game with an NHL-worst 26 points.

Boston erased an early 1-0 deficit, scoring three straight times to close out the first period. Savard notched the first of his two tallies with 6 1/2 minutes left in the session, then set up Glen Murray just 34 seconds later to give Boston the lead.

Murray's tally was his 20th of the season, marking the fifth straight season and seventh of his career with 20 or more goals.

Patrice Bergeron scored on the power play with 37 seconds remaining in the period to make it 3-1.

Sami Kapanen, who opened the scoring with a shorthanded tally, had an unassisted goal early in the second period to pull the Flyers within one. But Savard extended Boston's lead to 4-2 with a power-play tally just over two minutes into the third.

"We just pressured their defense," Savard said. "The first couple of goals, we just kept the pressure on them. We got to spots and holes.

"It was huge to bounce back like that. We just showed our character today after the other night. We could've gone into a shell, but we came out aggressively, and that really was the key."

Mike Knuble made it 4-3 with 1:55 to play with his 17th goal for Philadelphia, which has lost two straight after a season-high three-game winning streak.

Knuble's goal gave the Flyers a shot, but they were unable to mount any pressure over the final minute due to relentless forechecking by the Bruins.

"That's how you win hockey games," Lewis said. "You protect a lead by playing in their zone. And that's the way you have to (play) to win big games."

Philadelphia dropped to 0-11-3 this season in games without captain Peter Forsberg, who sat out with a groin injury. The Flyers did not help their cause by going 0-for-6 on the power play.

"Our execution was not very good. It comes down to execution on your power play," Flyers coach John Stevens said. "You move it quick and crisp and do the intangible things. I thought we did a good job early on their power play, cut passing lanes off, but they do have a good power play and Savard makes a living by find people with that puck."