Preview: Bruins look to stay streaky against Red Wings

Just the facts

When: Tonight, 7:00 PM

Where: TD Garden – Boston, MA

How to follow: NESN, SNE, SNO, SNP, 98.5 The Sports Hub

Rival SBN site: Winging It In Motown

Know your enemy

• 3-1-2, 8PTS, four-way tie for third in Atlantic Division
• Dominik Kubalik: 6GP, 4G, 6A, 10PTS; Dylan Larkin: 6GP, 4G, 4A, 8PTS
• Ville Husso: 2-0-0, 2.00 GAA, .939 save percentage; Alex Nedeljkovic: 1-1-0, 3.96 GAA, .890 save percentage

Game notes

• The Boston Bruins close out their homestand tonight against the Detroit Red Wings!
• The Bruins will look to extend their current three-game win streak. They’ve opened the season at 6-1-0 and hold the best record in the NHL - we’re going to state that for as long as we can.
• Tonight’s the first of three games between the two this season. They won’t meet again until March 11 and 12, 2023 when they have a home-and-home series.
• The Bruins were 2-2-0 last season against the Red Wings. Notably, Patrice Bergeron had a four-goal game in their 5-1 home win over Detroit on Nov. 4, 2021. He had a natural hat trick - all power-play goals - and then added a fourth tally in the third period. In those four games, the Bruins scored four power play goals and two shorthanded ones.
• It’s obviously a different Bruins team than last year, but maybe old habits will rub off tonight and they’ll capitalize on the power play. The B’s have scored on the power play in their last two games and special teams are starting to click. David Pastrnak’s power-play goal broke through on the third attempt of the first period last game.
• They don’t have too much to worry about though against the Red Wings on the man-advantage though because Detroit’s 20.8% is only slightly better to the Bruins’ 19.2%.
• The Bruins’ “second line” is looking more and more like the top line every game. In the last three games, Taylor Hall, Pastrnak and David Krejci have a combined 12 points and two game-winning goals including one in overtime on the power play.
• It’s also no surprise that with their production that Pastrnak not only leads the team in overall points and goals, but is also a league leader in the same categories.
• For Detroit, Kubalik and Larkin are on a hot streak. Kubalik has 10 points in the last five games. He’s on a five-game point streak. He’s registered multiple points each night in the last four games. Larkin is on a three-game point streak with three goals and one assist.
• Detroit last played on Tuesday, falling to the New Jersey Devils, 6-2, in their first regulation loss of the season. Larkin and Kubalik scored in the loss. The Red Wings allowed a shorthanded goal by the Devils in the routing.
• It’s not confirmed, but Head Coach Jim Montgomery said they are leaning towards starting Jeremy Swayman in net. Linus Ullmark has been on fire and is undefeated in five games. Swayman has made two starts this season and was most recently pulled in Oct. 18’s game against the Ottawa Senators when he let in six goals on 25 shots.
• Progress: Brad Marchand skated alongside Patrice Bergeron and Jake DeBrusk yesterday and is recovering from hip surgery ahead of schedule it appears. Montogmery said he won’t crack the lineup in the next two games though.

See ya tonight!