Monday, December 29, 2014

Red Wings-Bruins preview

BOSTON - Leading the Red Wings with 15 goals this season, Gustav Nyquist notched the game-winner in overtime on Saturday.

He will seek to help Detroit to their third straight victory when they visit the faltering Boston Bruins on Monday night.

Detroit picked up their last two after a 0-2-4 skid over their last six outings while Boston looks to rebound after being handed a 6-2 decision at Columbus on Saturday.

Nyquist has a goal and three assists for the Red Wings in his last two games, and his shot with 47 seconds left in the extra frame over the weekend gave Detroit the 3-2 victory at Ottawa.

He lingered in the Ottawa zone for nearly a half-minute and skated three times ominously around Sens net-minder Craig Anderson before firing from the slot for the win.

"The guys did a good job of creating some space for me," said Nyquist, who has a goal in each of his four career games against Boston. "It was nice to see it go in at the end."

Henrik Zetterberg, whose 27 points lead the team, has three goals in his last five games and four points in his last six. He has four goals and five assists in his last five meetings on Bruins ice. 

Detroit (19-8-9) fields the third-best power-play in hockey (24.3 pct) and the second-best penalty killers (88.4 pct). They are 8-1-1 in their last ten contests against Boston.

They have taken the last four in Boston, where, despite their shortcomings, the Bruins this season are 11-6-2.

Boston (18-15-3) won their last two at home, against Buffalo and Nashville. Tuukka Rask allowed three goals in both those games.

He replaced Niklas Svedberg at Columbus after the young Swede allowed three goals against 15 shots, though would himself replicate that feat as Boston left the buckeye state with six goals against them on 30 shots.

"It's hard to find words after a game like this," Bruins defenseman Zdeno Chara said afterwards. "We started putting some [victories] together and climbing the standings, and now here we go again."

Rask is 2-5-1 against Detroit all-time with a 3.1 goals-against average, though turned away both shootout chances fired on him against the Wings in Boston's Oct. 15 victory.

That win was only the second against Detroit in ten chances and they are suffering a 4-6-2 stretch over their last 12 contests, allowing 3.1 goals per game.

"We have proven goals scorers on this team," center Chris Kelly said. "We have proven All-Stars on this team. It's not talent that's keeping us from succeeding. It's just a lot of the little things; winning your battles, playing attention to details on a consistent basis."

Both sides have split their season series thus far, both at Joe Louis Arena in October.

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