Bruins at Red Wings
The Detroit Red Wings are failing miserably in an area where the Boston Bruins are thriving - the ability to win on home ice. The Red Wings have another chance to reverse a trend that has seen them win only once in the last 10 games (1-2-7) at home when they host the Bruins on Wednesday. Detroit will play a second straight game without leading goal-scorer and two-way standout Pavel Datsyuk, who is dealing with concussion-like symptoms.
Boston arrives in town in the midst of an 8-1-1 stretch that has propelled it to the top of the Atlantic Division. The Bruins have permitted more than two goals only once during that span - and that came with three-tenths of a second remaining in regulation of Monday's 4-3 overtime win over the Pittsburgh Penguins. "To me, when you get scored on like that late, it can be devastating for certain teams," Boston coach Claude Julien said. "But it just made us probably a little hungrier."
TV: 7:30 p.m. ET, NBCSN, FSN (Detroit), NESN (Boston)
ABOUT THE BRUINS (16-6-2): Torey Krug moved into a tie for the league lead among defensemen with seven goals when he scored 34 seconds into overtime Monday. Krug, who appeared in only one regular-season game in 2012-13 before making a splash by scoring four goals in a playoff series win over the New York Rangers, may have helped his chances at an Olympic berth given that Penguins coach Dan Bylsma will guide Team USA. “I can, without hesitation, say that (Krug) has been mentioned and talked about a little bit," Bylsma said regarding the Olympic selection process.
ABOUT THE RED WINGS (11-7-7): With starting goaltender Jimmy Howard in the throes of a seven-game winless drought (0-3-4), backup Jonas Gustavsson will receive a second consecutive start Wednesday. Gustavsson improved to 5-0-1 with a 2.35 goals-against average this season following a 3-1 victory over the Buffalo Sabres on Sunday and registered a 3-2 win in Boston on Oct. 14. "You can't ask from your second goaltender more than we've got from him," coach Mike Babcock said. "He's done a good job for us and given us a chance to win games."
OVERTIME
1. Bruins G Tuukka Rask, who is third in the league with a 1.69 GAA, allowed four goals in splitting a pair of games against Detroit last month.
2. Red Wings captain Henrik Zetterberg has five assists during a three-game point streak and 12 points in 11 contests versus Boston.
3. Detroit and Boston are tied with Pittsburgh for fourth in the league in penalty killing with a success rate of 85.9 percent.