Bruins at Red Wings
The Boston Bruins have spent much of the past two weeks trying to hold down the final playoff slot in the Eastern Conference, but they have a chance to move up in the standings when they visit the Detroit Red Wings on Thursday. Riding a three-game winning streak. the Bruins can pull into a tie with Detroit, which holds a two-point lead over Boston for third place in the Atlantic Division.
The Red Wings are stumbling down the stretch with three wins in their last 11 games (3-6-2). The Bruins have won their last three following a six-game skid that briefly left them on the outside of the playoff picture, but they face a rugged closing stretch - with four of their final five games away from home. Detroit gave up a late goal in regulation before falling in a shootout to the Ottawa Senators 2-1 in a shootout Tuesday night, its third home loss in the past four games. The Red Wings beat Boston in their season opener but have dropped the past three meetings.
TV: 7:30 p.m. ET, NBC Sports, TVA, NESN (Boston), FSN Detroit
ABOUT THE BRUINS (39-25-13): The rookie tandem of David Pastrnak and Ryan Spooner continues to supply excellent production for Boston, collecting two points apiece and assisting on linemate Milan Lucic's game-winning goal against Florida. “I guess the more that we play as a line and stuff like that the more we learn where we are and stuff," said Spooner, who has 17 points in 19 games since he was recalled from the minors. "It’s good right now.” Pastrnak has five goals and 11 assists in the past 17 games, including five points during a three-game streak.
ABOUT THE RED WINGS (40-23-13): Detroit was already short-handed against Ottawa with forwards Pavel Datsyuk, Erik Cole and Riley Sheahan sidelined and received a huge scare when Drew Miller had to leave the game after taking a skate to the face just below the right eye. Miller needed 50-60 stitches to close the gash but was back at practice Wednesday wearing a full face shield and hopes to be cleared for Thursday's game. Backup goaltender Petr Mrazek appears to have supplanted struggling Jimmy Howard and will make his fourth consecutive start.
OVERTIME
1. Detroit is 1-for-14 with the man advantage in the last four following a stretch in which they scored one power-play goal in 12 of 13 games
2. Bruins G Tuukka Rask won his last two starts versus the Red Wings to improve to 3-5-1 against them.
3. The availability of Datsyuk, Cole and Sheahan, along with Miller, will be determined Thursday.