By: Jack Studley | Follow me on Twitter/X @jackstudley13
The Boston Bruins (15-12-0) are in Michigan for the second leg of a home-and-home with the Detroit Red Wings (13-11-2). The two Original Six teams squared off on Saturday night at the TD Garden, with the Bruins emerging victorious in a shootout, 3-2. Tonight will be the second of four matchups with the Red Wings this season, and it starts at 7:00 PM from Little Caesars Arena in Detroit, MI.
The Bruins were without stars David Pastrnak and Charlie McAvoy at their practice on Monday, and Pastrnak did not travel with the team to Detroit. Elias Lindholm has four assists in the two games after Thanksgiving; Alex Steeves and league-leading goal scorer Morgan Geekie join him on the first line. Viktor Arvidsson returned to practice yesterday, and according to NESN’s Adam Pellerin, he is in tonight, reuniting the highly successful second line with Casey Mittelstadt and Pavel Zacha. Marco Sturm has routinely praised this second line throughout the season, deploying them against the opposition’s top line and citing their production on both sides of the puck.
On the defensive front, the Bruins elevated the Hampus Lindholm-Andrew Peeke pair to the top of the totem pole. Peeke is coming off a big game on Saturday night, where he was named the third star of the game. The 26:04 of ice time that Peeke recorded was his most in a Bruins sweater. Michael Callahan, in his fifth game of the season, will play with Nikita Zadorov on the second pair. Jonathan Aspirot and Mason Lohrei are expected to play together on the Bruins’ third pair of defense.
The Red Wings, who are donning their Centennial anniversary uniforms, enter this game having lost their last four contests, including Saturday night in Boston. Detroit has had more success at home, with an 8-6-1 record so far this season; the Bruins are 6-7-0 on the road. The Red Wings did not have an answer for Mark Kastelic, who ignited the Bruins on Saturday; he finished the game with five hits, a fight, and another scrap with Ben Chiarot, which resulted in a roughing penalty. They did not make any roster moves ahead of Tuesday night’s rematch.
The Bruins have been successful on the power play this season; they rank fourth in the league and are clicking at 25.3%. The black and gold went one-for-two on Saturday night. Detroit boasts the 23rd-ranked penalty kill (78.9%), giving the Bruins another chance to pounce on special teams opportunities. The Bruins’ penalty kill (83.0%) ranks seventh, and they stepped up on Saturday night, allowing no goals on the Red Wings’ five power play attempts.
The goalie matchup will look a little different from Saturday’s. On the Bruins’ end, things will stay the same. Jeremy Swayman will get the net tonight, per Marco Sturm. He steered aside 24 Red Wing shots, and three more in the shootout, en route to a Bruin victory. Michael Whitaker of The Hockey News reported that the Red Wings will switch it up, going with John Gibson in goal. After being traded to Detroit this summer, Gibson has struggled in his new home, allowing five goals in each of his last three starts.
The Bruins and Red Wings get underway from Motown tonight at 7:00 PM. The game will be carried on NESN for local fans, and the radio call will be on 98.5 The Sports Hub. With the holiday season right around the corner, and the Bruins returning to the TD Garden this week, please check out our StubHub Ticket-affiliated link HERE for the most competitive concert and sporting event tickets in the North American region.
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