Boston Takes Control In Series

Let's just come right out and say it: the Canadiens are in trouble. The Boston Bruins systematically dismantled Montreal on Saturday night, putting on a clinic in their 5-1 win at TD Banknorth Garden to take a commanding 2-0 lead in the series.

Marc Savard led the way with two goals and two assists, helping the Bruins chase Carey Price after two periods as the 21-year-old netminder surrendered five goals, including one to Michael Ryder with just under three seconds to play in the second period.

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During the first two games of the series, the Canadiens have yet to play with the lead while they've been outscored by a 9-3 margin. When a team gets dominated like that it's difficult to place all of the blame on one player -- in this case, it's impossible -- but over his past six playoff games Price has looked shaky at best, awful at worst. Since his game 7 win over Boston in last year's Eastern Conference quarterfinal, Price has posted a .868 save percentage in six postseason games, while being lifted twice -- including Saturday night -- and benched once.

There's no question the former No. 5 overall pick is loaded with talent and unlimited potential, and he may very well be a fantastic goalie in the future, but in just his second season in the NHL he seems to be in over his head on the league's biggest stage. Jaroslav Halak played the third period, stopping five shots.

Much like the ending of game 1, there was some controversy in the closing minutes of the third period as Boston's Milan Lucic was issued a five-minute major -- and a 10-minute game misconduct -- after a skirmish with Montreal's Maxim Lapierre that included a rather nasty cross-check. It's likely the league's disciplinary board will take a look at the play, while there's a possibility for some disciplinary action as the league has made it pretty clear it wants no "message sending" in games that have already been decided. Though, with his team up 5-1 in the game, and 2-0 in the series, it's not quite clear what message was intended to be sent here. If any.

The Canadiens have now lost seven consecutive games to the Bruins, and return home to the Bell Centre needing to win both games to make this series somewhat competitive again. It's going to be difficult, seeing as Montreal has now lost six straight games going back to the end of the regular season.