Updates:
Darren Helm (lower-body injury) will be a game-time decision, Blashill said. Everyone else is available for #RedWings
— Ansar Khan (@AnsarKhanMLive) February 6, 2018
Jimmy Howard starting tonight for #RedWings
— Ansar Khan (@AnsarKhanMLive) February 6, 2018
Optional morning skate today, so we don’t have lines for tonight.
Red Wings Lineup
Forwards
| Gustav Nyquist | Henrik Zetterberg | Anthony Mantha |
| Tyler Bertuzzi | Dylan Larkin | Andreas Athanasiou |
| Tomas Tatar | Frans Nielsen | Darren Helm |
| Justin Abdelkader | Luke Glendening | Martin Frk |
Defensemen
| Jonathan Ericsson | Trevor Daley |
| Niklas Kronwall | Mike Green |
| Danny DeKeyser | Nick Jensen |
Goaltenders
| Jimmy Howard (starting) |
| Petr Mrazek |
Confirmed Bruins Lineup
Forwards
| Danton Heinen | Patrice Bergeron | David Pastrnak |
| Jake DeBrusk | David Krejci | Ryan Spooner |
| Tim Schaller | Riley Nash | David Backes |
| Frank Vatrano | Sean Kuraly | Austin Czarnik |
Defensemen
| Zdeno Chara | Charlie McAvoy |
| Torey Krug | Brandon Carlo |
| Matt Grelcyk | Adam McQuaid |
Goaltenders
| Tuukka Rask (starting) |
| Anton Khudobin |
Keys to the Game
Battle Between the Pipes
Jimmy Howard and Tuukka Rask are your starters tonight. Each can keep his team in a game they shouldn’t be in, so if they are both playing their best, this could be a low-scoring affair.
No Need For an Exterminator
Often when Detroit plays Boston, there is a noticeable rat problem. Since Brad Marchand is still suspended, the chances of the Wings leaving tonight’s game with working knees and no concussions has increased tremendously.
Playing Spoiler (Kinda)
Assuming the Lightning win the Atlantic Division, as seems likely, Toronto and Boston are very likely to finish 2nd and 3rd, meaning they would play each other in the first round. Right now, Boston is 3 points up on Toronto, with a whopping 5 games in hand, and the two will battle down the stretch for home-ice advantage in the first round. Denying the Bruins two points tonight could end up being a big deal at the end of the season.
Let’s Go Red Wings!
