Final
Bruins-Red Wings Preview
Nov 2, 2009 - 7:03 PM By MIKE LIPKA STATS WriterBoston (6-6-1) at Detroit (5-4-3), 7:00 p.m. EDT
The Boston Bruins and Detroit Red Wings were two of the NHL's top teams last season, but neither club has carried that level of play into 2009-10.
The Red Wings do have a solid performance to build on as they return home Tuesday night to face the Bruins, who are slumping offensively without two of their biggest stars.
Although San Jose won the Presidents' Trophy last season, Boston and Detroit were the only other teams to top 110 points, and the Red Wings came within one win of their second straight Stanley Cup.
Injuries and inconsistency have plagued both teams in the early going, however, as the Bruins (6-6-1) are still without back-to-back victories and Detroit is having problems in net.
The Red Wings (5-4-3) hope a 2-0-1 finish to a five-game road trip will help them get on track, especially after an impressive 3-1 win over Calgary on Saturday night.
Pavel Datsyuk assisted on the winner and has eight points in five games since missing time with an upper-body injury.
"We skated well and maybe for the first time all year we were a five-man unit and made some nice plays," coach Mike Babcock said. "I liked the goals we scored and the way we went about our business tonight."
Detroit is still without winger Johan Franzen.
After getting pulled from his previous start seven minutes in, Chris Osgood benefited from a strong defensive effort, making 20 saves and lowering his goals-against average to 3.10.
"Ozzy played real well but I thought we helped him out on a lot of the rebounds too," defenseman Nicklas Lidstrom said. "I thought we played with a lot more desperation too."
Backup Jimmy Howard has twice relieved Osgood and made three starts, but he has also struggled, going 1-2-1 with a 3.42 GAA.
The Bruins have had big problems in the offensive end and appear to be feeling the absence of injured top-line forwards Marc Savard and Milan Lucic. Boston has three goals in its last three games, suffering a 1-0 road loss to the New York Rangers on Sunday.
"We played hard," coach Claude Julien said. "We did everything, except right now we're just not scoring goals.
"Until that happens, we're going to be dealing with these types of games. It becomes frustrating for everybody."
After finishing second in the NHL behind Detroit with 3.29 goals per game last season, the Bruins have averaged 2.38 this season - 26th in the league. Boston was 0 for 5 on the power play in New York and went 2 for 36 in the last 11 games.
Among the players the Bruins would like more production from is center David Krejci, who has five points this season after breaking out for 73 in 2008-09. Krejci had a goal and an assist in Boston's 4-1 home victory over the Red Wings on Nov. 29, the teams' only meeting last season.
Bruins goalie Tim Thomas, a native of Davison, Mich., is likely to make his second appearance in his home state. He won 6-3 in Detroit on March 11, 2007.
The Bruins went 3-0-1 in their last four visits to Joe Louis Arena. Another victory would extend the club's trend of alternating wins and losses in its first 13 games this season.
- -------------------------------------------
Boston
0 0 0 --0
Detroit 2 0 0 --2
-------------------------------------------
FIRST PERIOD -- Scoring: 1, Detroit, Henrik Zetterberg 3 (power play)
(Unassisted), 14:21. 2, Detroit, Tomas Holmstrom 8 (Pavel Datsyuk,
Todd Bertuzzi), 17:43. Penalties: N Kronwall, Det (interference),
9:32; M Sturm, Bos (hooking), 14:19.
Nov 3 9:30 PM - -------------------------------------------
Boston
0 0 0 --0
Detroit 2 0 0 --2
-------------------------------------------
FIRST PERIOD -- Scoring: 1, Detroit, Henrik Zetterberg 3 (power play)
(Unassisted), 14:21. 2, Detroit, Tomas Holmstrom 8 (Pavel Datsyuk,
Todd Bertuzzi), 17:43. Penalties: N Kronwall, Det (interference),
9:32; M Sturm, Bos (hooking), 14:19.
Nov 3 9:30 PM - --------------------------------------
Boston
0 0 --0
Detroit 2 0 --2
--------------------------------------
FIRST PERIOD -- Scoring: 1, Detroit, Henrik Zetterberg 3 (power play)
(Unassisted), 14:21. 2, Detroit, Tomas Holmstrom 8 (Pavel Datsyuk,
Todd Bertuzzi), 17:43. Penalties: N Kronwall, Det (interference),
9:32; M Sturm, Bos (hooking), 14:19.
SECOND PERIOD -- Sco
Nov 3 8:38 PM - ---------------------------------
Boston
0 --0
Detroit 2 --2
---------------------------------
FIRST PERIOD -- Scoring: 1, Detroit, Henrik Zetterberg 3 (power play)
(Unassisted), 14:21. 2, Detroit, Tomas Holmstrom 8 (Pavel Datsyuk,
Todd Bertuzzi), 17:43. Penalties: N Kronwall, Det (interference),
9:32; M Sturm, Bos (hooking), 14:19.
Shots on goal:
-------------------------
Nov 3 7:49 PM
Related News
- 2024 World Juniors PRIMER: Everything you need to know! Dec 25
- Public Skate: Bruins vs. Wild Dec 23
- Shattenkirk talks finding balance in his game Dec 23
- Preview: Bruins vs. Wild again, this time in Minnesota Dec 23
- Public Skate: Bruins vs. Jets Dec 22
- Preview: Bruins begin Christmas road trip with a visit to Winnipeg Dec 22
- Morning Skate: Missed Dec 20
- Recap: Bruins fall to rallying Wild, 4-3, in OT Dec 20
- Public Skate: Bruins vs. Wild Dec 19
- Affiliate Report: Providence pushes past Pennsylvania foes, Maine on the right track Dec 19
- Preview: Bruins look to capitalize on a tired Wild team tonight Dec 19
- Matthew Poitras joins Canada at the WJC! Dec 18