Mike Richards’ physical play is getting under the skin of the Boston Bruins. In particular — Marc Savard.

“I mean, I don’t know,” said Savard about Richards after his team’s Eastern Conference semifinal game 5 home loss to the Flyers. “That’s the way he plays. It’s part of his demeanor. He’ll never change. So I don’t know.”

Late in the third period of Monday’s 4-0 Flyers victory, Richards cleanly wiped Savard out of the play on the corner boards. Savard took exception to the hit and went back after Richards by cross checking him in the mouth and throwing a flurry of weak, gloved punches and head grabs. Milan Lucic joined the fray by taking a couple of shots until the rest of the players came in relief. Richards was left bleeding after the play and the Flyers received a power play.

“I just got fired up,” Savard told the Boston media. “I got one the other night in Philly from behind [a boarding call on Darroll Powe], and then I was facing the glass again in the same situation and then I look back at [David] Booth, [David] Krejci, those guys … I mean, enough’s enough. I mean, I don’t know. That’s all.”

In game 3, Richards knocked Boston forward David Krejci out with a hard but clean open-ice hit. The force dislocated Krejci’s wrist, which needed to be surgically repaired. His season was ended.

If Savard thinks the physical play on him was bad before, complaining about it is only going to make it worse. The Flyers have won back-to-back games and their dirty work is now showing its effectiveness over a long series.