Red Wings at Bruins
The Detroit Red Wings are showing their championship pedigree when it matters most and can extend the longest playoff run in the history of major North American team sports when they visit the Boston Bruins on Thursday night. The Red Wings can secure their 25th consecutive postseason berth by defeating the Bruins in any fashion.
Detroit posted its third straight win with a 3-0 shutout of Philadelphia to move two points ahead of slumping Boston for third place in the Atlantic Division. "Just been here before," Red Wings goaltender Jimmy Howard told NBC Sports after blanking the Flyers. "You know, we've been through the battle. ... It just feels comfortable that we can get the job done." That hasn't been the feeling in the locker room of the Bruins, who tumbled to their eighth setback in 10 games (2-7-1) with Tuesday's 2-1 shootout loss to Carolina. "“Nobody likes losing," Boston coach Claude Julien said. "It’s what we have to deal with that we’ve been through this, and we need to find ways to win hockey games.”
TV: 7 p.m. ET, NBCSN, TVA, FSN Detroit, NESN Plus (Boston)
ABOUT THE RED WINGS (41-28-11): A longtime standout in net for Detroit, Howard has been in moth balls for much of the season due to a combination of his own ineffectiveness and the stellar play of Petr Mrazek, who seized the starting job. But with Mrazek slumping down the stretch, Howard has received the nod in the past three games and allowed a total of four goals, including his second shutout of the season and 22nd career. Coach Jeff Blashill declined to name a starter for Thursday's clash but told reporters that Howard was in a groove.
ABOUT THE BRUINS (41-30-9): After surrendering nine goals in back-to-back losses to Chicago and St. Louis, goaltender Tuukka Rask regained his equilibrium by making 27 saves in the shootout loss to Carolina. Still, Rask found himself addressing a biting criticism that he "couldn't stop a beach ball" from Hockey Night in Canada analyst and former Bruins coach Don Cherry. "People have their opinions, and they can say whatever they want," Rask said. “I just follow my own thing, and I know when I make a mistake and when I don’t. That’s good enough (for me).”
OVERTIME
1. Howard is 5-2-1 with a 2.25 goals-against average in his career versus Boston.
2. Bruins D Dennis Seidenberg and F Jimmy Hayes missed practice Wednesday, prompting the emergency recall of F Max Talbot.
3. The Red Wings have killed off all eight power plays in the past three games and got a short-handed tally from Andreas Athanasiou on Wednesday.