We are only two games in to the Atlantic Division series between the Detroit Red Wings and Boston Bruins, but there has already been plenty of excitement. The series is tied at one game apiece as Detroit took Game One by a score of 1-0 while the Bruins grabbed a 4-1 victory at home in Game Two. Here are five things we have already learned through the series' first two games.
Pavel Datsyuk Still Has It
The Magic Man scored the only goal of Game One on a highlight reel play that showcased both his offensive and defensive abilities. He first made a behind-the-back, between-the-legs pass to himself (sorry, that's the best way to describe it) before sniping an absolute bullet past Bruins goalie Tuukka Rask with just over three minutes remaining in regulation.
Henrik Zetterberg may not be healthy just yet, but the Red Wings have to be happy to have at least one of the Euro Twins back and at full strength.
Detroit Needs to Maintain its Composure
The Red Wings were able to weather the storm in Game One, but they took some stupid penalties in Game Two that resulted in Bruins powerplay goals.
We all know how physical of a team Boston is. Detroit? Not so much. The Red Wings will have trouble keeping up with the Bruins in the physicality department, but they need to get back to using their speed and quickness to defeat the Bruins rather than match them physically.
Jimmy Howard is Legit
Howard's shutout performance against Boston in Game One was the main reason for Detroit's victory, and he still played very well in Game Two despite giving up four goals.
The Red Wing netminder's save percentage is third among NHL goaltenders so far this postseason, which is even more impressive when you couple that stat with the fact that both games were against the President's Trophy winners...in Boston.
Milan Lucic is One of the League's Dirtiest Players
Had any doubt that Lucic's cup check on Montreal's Alexei Emelin late in the regular season was a one-time incident?Your questions were answered when he did the same to Detroit's Danny DeKeyser in Game One.
Lucic is known around the league for cheap shots and dirty hits, and has a long list of teams that dislike him. Add Detroit to that list.
The Bruins Might Have Woken Up
The Red Wings played great in Game One, but the Bruins were back to their old selves in Game Two. Boston should still be expected to take this series because of its extremely physical play (which had a clear effect on Detroit in Game Two) and because of Rask, who may very well be the best goaltender in the world.