Time: 1:00 PM EST
Place: Little Caesars Arena
TV: BSDET, NESN, SN
Radio: WXYT-97.1 FM
Bruins Blog: Stanley Cup of Chowder
One game since the stoppage down in which the Wings had a decent showing but ultimately couldn’t keep up with and couldn’t score against a skilled Washington team. Things aren’t going to get any easier today as Detroit welcomes what is simultaneously an overall better-rested team and also the more-tired team.
Boston played Buffalo yesterday afternoon, requiring overtime to deal with the Sabres. Linus Ullmark got the start in that one so it’s likely they go with Jeremy Swayman in Detroit this afternoon.
Boston has just five games in hand remaining, but our place above them in the standings is due entirely to those additional games played. The Wings are more in the hunt for the Wild Card than anybody below Boston in their division but the winning percentage will have to improve if they want to finish the season atop that race.
The teams haven’t met since November. Boston lit the Wings up at the start of that month and the Wings clawed out a revenge victory on the 30th.
We’re not going to have a GDU, since an early start means the puck is dropping before we traditionally even do our updates. Things can obviously change, but unless new names land on the protocol list between now and puck drop, the only player on either team that can’t go due to the protocol is Nick Leddy. Boston already had their stars out through mid-December and are back to full strength.
Here’s where we expect the lines to shake out:
Detroit
Forwards
Tyler Bertuzzi – Dylan Larkin – Lucas Raymond
Vladislav Namestnikov – Pius Suter – Robby Fabbri
Adam Erne – Michael Rasmussen – Filip Zadina
Givani Smith – Joe Veleno – Sam Gagner
Defense
Danny DeKeyser – Moritz Seider
Jordan Oesterle – Filip Hronek
Marc Staal – Gustav Lindstrom
Goalies
Alex Nedeljkovic
Thomas Greiss
Boston
Forwards
Brad Marchand – Patrice Bergeron – Craig Smith
Taylor Hall – Erik Haula – David Pastrnak
Jake DeBrusk – Charlie Coyle – Nick Foligno
Trent Frederic – Tomas Nosek – Curtis Lazar
Defense
Matt Grzelcyk – Charlie McAvoy
Mike Reilly – Brnadon Carlo
Derek Forbort – Connor Clifton
Goalies
Jeremy Swayman
Linus Ullmark
