Game Day Updates
The #RedWings have assigned defenseman Dennis Cholowski to the AHL’s Grand Rapids Griffins.
More → https://t.co/S6N8ePfQ4c pic.twitter.com/vexx1ua4mp
— Detroit Red Wings (@DetroitRedWings) February 8, 2020
Projected.#BOSvsDET | #LGRW pic.twitter.com/j9NUVULiF0
— Detroit Red Wings (@DetroitRedWings) February 9, 2020
This one is interesting, considering what Blashill said:
Coach Blashill said Darren Helm, Frans Nielsen, and Anthony Mantha all day-to-day. Will not play today.
Mike Green is in. #BOSvsDET
— Detroit Red Wings (@DetroitRedWings) February 9, 2020
[Editor’s note: Blashill’s announcement on Green came 19 minutes after whichever social media intern was tasked with tweeting out a projected lineup. I believe Blashill that Green will play, but the lineup card below that has him in place of Ericsson is purely a guess on my part – J.J.]
My goodness Seider. Wait till the end to see him chirping too. https://t.co/sLx1kIhqPs pic.twitter.com/9K6TiZjDhH
— Griffins Nest (@GrGriffinsNest) February 9, 2020
And a stick tap for Chara managing to play 1500 career games, quite the milestone:
1,500 NHL games ✅
1,000 games as #NHLBruins captain ✅
Watch yesterday’s full pregame ceremony honoring Zdeno Chara for his recent milestones: pic.twitter.com/MSdTSOCxiD
— Boston Bruins (@NHLBruins) February 9, 2020
Lineups
Detroit
Forwards
Justin Abdelkader – Dylan Larkin – Robby Fabbri
Brendan Perlini – Valtteri Filppula – Tyler Bertuzzi
Taro Hirose – Andreas Athanasiou – Luke Glendening
Adam Erne – Christoffer Ehn – Givani Smith
Defense
Patrik Nemeth – Alex Biega
Mike Green – Filip Hronek
Trevor Daley – Gustav Lindstrom
Goalies
Jonathan Bernier
Jimmy Howard
Boston
Forwards
Brad Marchand — Patrice Bergeron — David Pastrnak
Jake DeBrusk — David Krejci — Karson Kuhlman
Sean Kuraly — Charlie Coyle — Anders Bjork
Anton Blidh — Par Lindholm — Chris Wagner
Defense
Zdeno Chara — Charlie McAvoy
Torey Krug — John Moore
Matt Grzelcyk — Brandon Carlo
Goalies
Jaroslav Halak
Tuukka Rask
Keys to the Game
1. Survive the Bruins’ Big Three
Obviously it’s no secret Boston sports arguably the best line in the league with Bergeron centering Marchand and Pastrnak. It’s going to be too much to ask the Wings to shut that trio down, but if they can at least limit the damage they do they may be able to keep the game within reach. Even with Detroit getting last change in this one, there isn’t a line or pairing that jumps out as a possible shutdown option. So instead this will have to be a by committee approach.
2. Just Find a Way to Score
The Wings have been shut out in three of four. The league leading Bruins are not exactly a recipe to cure that with their league best 133 goals against. Even with backup Jaroslav Halak getting the start, that doesn’t offer a lot of promise as the netminder sports a 2.36 GAA and .921 SV% this season. The sliver of hope Detroit may have to get something going today is Boston is playing the second half of back to backs and can be forgiven for maybe looking past this one. The bottom line is the Wings just need to find a way, any way, to put a puck in the back of the net.
3. Bernier Needs to Steal The Show
Should the Wings find a way to score a goal or two that will be an achievement in itself. But if they have any chance at slaying the goliath that is the Bruins, it’ll be largely up to Jonathan Bernier. He’s played terrific of late, but will need to deliver his best performance today for Detroit have any hope.
