Photo courtesy of Boston.com
Marc Savard is ready to skate on the front line once again.
After missing the last 2 weeks with a partial MCL tear in his right knee, Savard is set to return to face Buffalo tonight in a matchup of divisional opponents. The Bruins star center was twisted and dragged down to the ice just 28 seconds into a 5-2 loss against Chicago on Jan 7. The injury came at a very positive time for the Bruins. They had just squeaked out an energizing victory against Philadelphia in the Winter Classic at Fenway Park. The team was also finally reaching full health as they moved forward with their season.
Below is the video of Marc Savard’s tangle with Jonathan Toews of Chicago. The injury comes very early in the clip. NESN can’t even finish scrolling through the starting lineups before Savard goes down.
Savard’s return comes at a very important time for the Bruins, who have won just one game without him in the lineup. During the last 8 games, the offense has mustered just 1.75 goals per game. The team has also plummeted from fifth to a tie for 11th in the Eastern Conference standings.
There is still hope for Bruins fans who are thinking the team should throw in the towel on this season. Boston has currently played the fewest games of any other team in the conference. They are also separated from Atlanta, who currently sits in sixth place, by 2 pts. That means with a good run, they could leap right back into the picture.
Photo courtesy of Boston.com
Against Buffalo, Savard will be skating on a front line featuring Milan Lucic and Miroslav Satan. Lucic has battled his own injuries for the better part of the year. He has played in just 19 games after skating in over 70 each of the previous 2 years. In those games, he has managed just 2 goals.
The Bruins are a perennial “bump and bruise” squad that never underestimates the importance of the fourth line. However, at least for now, some continuity amongst the team leaders is going to be crucial. The Bruins need a spark in their play on both ends of the ice. That spark is what made them the top seed in the Eastern Conference last season and put them just 1 overtime goal away from the conference finals.
Marco Sturm, who is also out with a leg injury, will travel to Buffalo but will not be playing in tonight’s game or in Saturday night’s game against Los Angeles. Sturm will target a Tuesday return when the Bruins face Washington at the TD Garden.
Tags: Savard, Lucic, MCL tear, Bruins, Return, Satan, Sturm, Winter Classic, Philadelphia, Buffalo, Los Angeles, Washington, Jonathan Toews, Chicago, Atlanta, Fourth Line
