Final, Bruins 3-0: That’s it, and that’s all. The Bruins have themselves a 2-1 series lead after they just went into Detroit and put up a 3-0 shutout win. All in all, a pretty dominant effort from the B’s.
Third period, 18:01, Bruins 3-0: That should do it. Patrice Bergeron just flung a desperation heave from right in front of the Boston bench just inside the Bruins’ blue line, and it trickles all the way down the ice and into the vacated net to give Boston a 3-0 lead.
Third period, 17:04, Bruins 2-0: Just after typing that, the Wings pull the goalie.
Third period, 17:04, Bruins 2-0: The Bruins’ first line had a chance to ice the game on a 3-on-1, but Milan Lucic’s shot went high and wide. The Red Wings have dominated possession ever since, and it’s only a matter of time before the Wings pull the goalie.
Third period, 14:00, Bruins 2-0: Carl Soderberg just continued a solid game and series with a scoring chance, but he couldn’t quite finish. Soderberg was all alone in the slot, but Jimmy Howard was able to make a blocker save on Sodeberg’s wrist shot. The Boston third line did a great job of keeping the puck in the zone for another 10-15 second before getting an offensive zone faceoff. Solid stuff from them again in this one.
Third period, 11:59, Bruins 2-0: The Red Wings had their chances on the power play, but the Bruins did just enough to kill off the man-advantage. Tuukka Rask made a pair of really big saves, and the B’s did a good enough job of clearing the puck when they could to ensure they killed off the penalty. That’s an enormous kill.
Third period, 9:57, Bruins 2-0: The Red Wings are going to get a chance to cut the lead to one with the power play. Kevan Miller made a rare mistake as he flipped the puck up over the glass in his end, and he gets a delay of game penalty.
Third period, 6:30, Bruins 2-0: The Red Wings are a coming. Detroit is back to owning the puck in the Boston zone, and if it weren’t for Tuukka Rask, the Wings probably would have broken through by now.
Still, the Bruins are taking those punches and aren’t letting things get away from them. A lot of the possession remains on the outside for the Wings.
Third period, 3:18, Bruins 2-0: Tuukka Rask just made a ridiculous save. Justin Abdelkader had the puck in front of the net moving toward the right wing, and he tried to put a backhander on net with Rask moving to the side. Rask made a sprawling glove save, though, to keep the Wings off the board for now.
Third period, 2:18, Bruins 2-0: It sure looked like the Bruins had taken a 3-0 lead. Carl Soderberg stopped on a dime on a 3-on-1 and fed the puck to Brad Marchand. He had what looked to be a pretty open net, but Marchand’s shot hit the post and bounced back into the crease where Jimmy Howard covered the puck and got the whistle.
Third period, 0:01, Bruins 2-0: The third period is underway with the Bruins looking to put away the Wings and grab a 2-1 series lead.
Second period reaction: The second period started pretty ominously for the Red Wings, as it looked like they were about to pick up right where they left off. For a few minutes, it appeared that way.
However, the Wings flipped the script as they were the ones who built some momentum on special teams. Most notably, it was on the penalty kill where Detroit killed a couple of early Bruins power plays. From there, Detroit started to even the ice a lot more, as indicated by a 12-12 second-period shots total. However, the Red Wings still haven’t done much of anything on the power play. They had 35 seconds of 5-on-3 time in the middle period, but the Bruins did a great job of keeping Detroit on the outside along the boards, even down two men. The Bruins then killed off the other penalty and have now killed off all eight Detroit power plays.
But the Wings are starting to play with the puck a lot more. The Bruins need to continue with solid breakout passes, and they need to establish some puck possession in the offensive zone, to kill time if nothing else. Boston still hasn’t done much of anything 5-on-5, and the third period would be a good time to break out in that facet and put away the Wings.
End second period, Bruins 2-0: The Bruins are going to take a two-goal lead to the room for the second intermission. The B’s had a chance late in the period when Brad Marchand got in a breakaway down the left wing, but his shot was stopped by Jimmy Howard. The Bruins are outshooting Detroit 23-16 through two periods.
Second period, 15:52, Bruins 2-0: The Red Wings are finally starting to even the ice, and they just had a mad scramble in front of the Boston crease, but the Bruins collapsed into the slot and didn’t allow the Wings to get a clean look.
Second period, 13:08, Bruins 2-0: The Bruins have killed off yet another penalty, and they’re back to even strength after killing off not only the 5-on-3, but also the ensuing penalty. Detroit is now 0-for-8 on the power play.
Second period, 11:43, Bruins 2-0: The first penalty has expired, and the Red Wings have 1:25 of power-play time to go.
Second period, 11:08, Bruins 2-0: The Bruins are going to have to kill off 35 seconds of a 5-on-3. The B’s were just called for too many men on the ice, and Detroit looks to get itself back in the game.
Second period, 9:43, Bruins 2-0: The Red Wings are going to get their first power play, much to the delight of a Detroit crowd that has been begging for a man-advantage all night long. Brad Marchand is the guilty party, and he’s going to the box to serve two minutes for holding the stick.
Second period, 8:50, Bruins 2-0: Brad Marchand is back on the ice for the Bruins after taking a leg-to-leg hit from Brendan Smith.
Second period, 7:10, Bruins 2-0: More of the same on the Bruins’ power play — lots of possession and not a lot of shots on goal. Red Wings forward Darren Helm actually had the best chance on the Boston man-advantage. The Bruins got a little out of position and the puck bounced out of the Detroit zone, and Helm used his speed to turn it into a rush the other way. He was able to get off a shot from the right wing, but he hit the post, continuing a frustrating night for the Wings.
Second period, 5:10, Bruins 2-0: The Bruins are going back on the power play, but it might have come at a price. Brendan Smith just caught Brad Marchand with an extended leg, and Smith is called for tripping. Marchand needed to be helped off the ice and appeared to be headed down the tunnel.
Second period, 4:30, Bruins 2-0: The Bruins’ power play has come to an end, and it’s a rare occasion as the man-advantage didn’t end with a Bruins goal. The B’s held the puck in the zone for a long time, but the Wings did a good job of blocking shots, and Boston wasn’t able to register a shot on goal.
Second period, 2:27, Bruins 2-0: The second period has begun like the first, which is bad news for the Red Wings. The Bruins are going on the power play after Tomas Tatar was just called for holding.
Second period, 0:01, Bruins 2-0: The second period is underway with the Bruins looking to build on a dominant first.
First period reaction: The first 10 minutes or so of the first period of a team’s first home game of a series is usually hell on the visiting team. For the Bruins, it was a walk in the park. The B’s were the far more prepared and ready team for Game 3, and that showed in a big way. Boston was the much better team, which isn’t saying a whole lot. The Bruins held an 11-4 advantage in shots on goal, and not only that, the B’s had seven scoring chances to just one from the Wings. It seemed like the entire period was played in the Detroit zone, which was pretty close to the case actually. The Bruins were able to do whatever they wanted when it came to entries, and the B’s were also able to get in deep on the forecheck.
End first period, Bruins 2-0: The first period has come to a merciful end for the Red Wings, as they are trailing 2-0 in their first home game of the playoffs. Detroit was outshot 11-4 in the first.
First period, 15:48, Bruins 2-0: The Red Wings just had another lousy line change, and the Bruins made them pay. Shawn Thornton got in all alone, and while his shot was stopped by Jimmy Howard, Jordan Caron had come bursting into the zone, and he was there to score on the rebound to give Boston a two-goal lead.
First period, 15:11, Bruins 1-0: The Red Wings have just three shots on goal, and the latest was their best scoring chance, but that’s not saying much. Niklas Kronwall just kind of threw the puck on net from the left faceoff circle that hit Tuukka Rask right in the chest, and the Bruins goalie covered up. The Red Wings haven’t really sustained any sort of puck possession in the Boston end yet. That’s when they’re at their best, but the Bruins have had the puck so much in the Detroit end so far, that there really hasn’t been much of a chance for the Wings to get anything going.
First period, 13:00, Bruins 1-0: So far, so good for the Bruins. This one has been all Boston, as the B’s have dominated puck possession in the first period. The Boston third line just had an incredible shift where they did everything but score, as Loui Eriksson had a pair of chances in close, but he couldn’t quite jam the puck into the net. Then another Detroit turnover led to a chance for Dougie Hamilton, but he missed just wide on his shot.
First period, 9:00, Bruins 1-0: Once again, the Bruins use the power play to generate offense. Dougie Hamilton just went coast to coast and ripped a gorgeous wrist shot by Jimmy Howard for the power-play goal, and the Bruins jump out to an early lead.
First period, 7:40, 0-0: The Bruins are going to get the game’s first power play after an uncharacteristic mental mistake from the Red Wings. They got caught in a bad change and were whistled for too many men on the ice.
First period, 3:33, 0-0: The best scoring chance of the early minutes belongs to the Bruins. Pavel Datsyuk’s rare turnover almost cost the Red Wings dearly. He passed the puck away in the Detroit zone, and Dougie Hamilton stepped in. Hamilton took a shot from the right point that hit the post. There was a scrum in the crease to try and control the deflection, but Jimmy Howard was able to lay on top of the puck and get the whistle. After the play, Justin Abdelkader and Jordan Caron did plenty of pushing and shoving. Both players get roughing minors, and it’s 4-on-4 play for the next two minutes.
First period, 0:01, 0-0: The game is (finally) underway.
7:28 p.m.: It’s official, as Bruins defenseman Matt Bartkowski will return to the lineup for the first time since the season finale on April 13. He’ll replace Andrej Meszaros in the Boston lineup. 7:05 p.m.: Warmups are underway in Detroit, and the Bruins have seven defensemen on the ice, as expected. Daniel Paille and Chris Kelly are both absent, which is no surprise, either. 6:50 p.m.: One player who the microscope was under entering the series was Detroit winger Gustav Nyquist. The young forward burst onto the scene this season after being called up early in the season. The former Maine Black Bear scored 32 goals in just 57 games, including a gorgeous tally against the Bruins back on April 2 when he burst through the nuetral zone and beat Tuukka Rask with a gorgeous shot. So to say the Bruins would have their eyes on Nyquist entering the series would be a safe assumption. So far, the B’s have done a good job of slowing down Nyquist. He’s yet to register a point with six shots on goal during the first two games. Wings coach Mike Babcock was asked about Nyquist on Monday, and Babcock didn’t sound too worried about the lack of production to begin the series. “You gotta compete, you gotta get playing like you can,” Babcock said Monday. “Any time you’ve been through it, and now suddenly instead of being a guy nobody’s even heard of like last year in the playoffs, you’re a guy they’ve heard of. Space is probably harder to come by. You’ve just gotta find your game. “The thing I know about (Nyquist) is that he usually finds his game. I’m not concerned. I had a chat with him last night on the plane. I expect him to be very good.” 5:55 p.m.: We’ve still got almost two hours until puck drop, so you obviously need something to do to pass the time, right? Reading is a good way to do that — and it’s also a good way to make you smarter. In my opinion, one of the most interesting aspects of a series in any sports is to see what they’re saying in the other city. We all know the storylines and takes coming out of Boston, but what’s being said in Detroit? I’ve looked through some of the newspapers and blogs and have found a few interesting pregame reads. Ted Kulfan of The Detroit News has five keys for the Red Wings in Game 5. They’re pretty basic, but they’re worth paying attention to when the puck drops in Detroit. Helene St. James of the Detroit Free Press took a closer look at the Detroit power play. The Bruins have done a terrific job of shutting down the Red Wings on the man-advantage and haven’t even really let the Wings set up their power play. Helene offers up a solution. Drew Sharp, also of the Freep, thinks the Wings have a chance to win this series, as long as they play smart hockey. Finally, FOX Sports Detroit has a video preview of the all-important Game 3. 12:55 p.m.: Bruins coach Claude Julien had a pretty good quote from his press conference following the team’s morning skate. Julien was asked about the differences between Games 1 and 2 and how the physical play seemingly increased in the second game. Julien said much of Game 3 will come down to which team is able to find a way to play their preferred style. For the Bruins, that means playing a tough, physical style that helped them to a win on Sunday. “Tonight is just a game of will,” Julien told reporters at Joe Louis Arena. “Whoever’s going to have the will to play their game the best. That’s all we’ve got to think about is going out there. I don’t think it has much to do with what’s out there lately. We’re physical, it’s the way we built our team. We shouldn’t apologize for it because Bruins fans and the city of Boston love us for that.” 12:19 p.m.: The Bruins may — or may not — be with Matt Bartkowski in Game 3. B’s coach Claude Julien wouldn’t say whether Bartkowski would be in the lineup. The defenseman will take the pregame skate, but whether he’s in the lineup is a game-time decision, Julien just told reporters. [tweet https://twitter.com/NHLBruins/status/458641021371293698 align=’center’] 11:45 a.m.: There are no surprises up front when it comes to the Bruins’ forward lines. That’s not a big surprise at all, though, given the fact that there aren’t any personnel changes. Regardless, here are the Boston morning skate lines. Milan Lucic — David Krejci — Jarome Iginla Brad Marchand — Patrice Bergeron — Reilly Smith Justin Florek — Carl Soderberg — Loui Eriksson Jordan Caron — Gregory Campbell — Shawn Thornton 11:35 a.m.: There’s no Chris Kelly or Daniel Paille on the ice for the Bruins at morning skate. They both traveled with the team to Detroit and Paille skated at the optional practice Monday in Boston, but neither are taking part in the skate. [tweet https://twitter.com/JamieErdahl/status/458630243440271360 align=’center’] 11:30 a.m.: The Bruins’ morning skate is underway, and Matt Bartkowski is on the ice for the B’s. [tweet https://twitter.com/ESPNJoeyMac/status/458628548581134336 align=’center’] 11:05 a.m.: Red Wings winger Daniel Alfredsson is not on the ice for morning skate in Detroit, and he will not be in the lineup for Game 3. He’ll be replaced in the lineup by Joakim Andersson (8-9-17 totals in 45 regular-season games), as Alfredsson is dealing with an upper-body injury, presumed to be his back. [tweet https://twitter.com/AnsarKhanMLive/status/458620954067746816 align=’center’] 10:45 a.m.: The Boston Bruins and Detroit Red Wings have had a see-saw battle through the first two games of their first-round Stanley Cup playoff series, and they’ll play a pivotal Game 3 on Tuesday night. The B’s and Wings enter Tuesday’s game at Joe Louis Arena tied at a game apiece following two games in Boston to open the series. The Wings played a tremendous Game 1, which allowed Pavel Datsyuk to score the game’s lone goal in the final minutes of the third period. Boston rebounded in Game 2 with a much better showing on its way to a 4-1 win over the underdog Wings. Game 3 will most likely come down to which team is able to play its game and dictate the style of play. It’s clear after Game 2 — where the Bruins roughed up the Red Wings on the way to the win — that Detroit head coach Mike Babcock doesn’t want his team trying to match Boston’s level of physicality. “I just think you’ve got to decide what you want to do. Do you want to play like them or play like us?” Babcock said Sunday after his team’s loss. “I just looked at the sheet here, we had one, two, three, four roughing calls. We haven’t had four roughing calls this year. So you’ve got to do what you do, not what they do.” The Bruins, meanwhile, want to keep doing what they did on Sunday. However, that’s not exclusive to just playing physically and mixing it up after the whistles. Boston did a much better job of getting to the net and getting traffic in front of Red Wings goalie Jimmy Howard in Game 2. The Wings were great in Game 1 in their ability to keep the Bruins out of the slot and in front of the net, but Boston made the necessary adjustments, which resulted in four goals after being shut out in the series opener. Boston could also have some regulars back in the fold, too. Head coach Claude Julien said after Game 2 that everyone would be traveling to Detroit, which includes injured players Chris Kelly and Daniel Paille as well as Matt Bartkowski, who has presumably been suffering the illness that has made its way through the Bruins dressing room. Puck drop from Detroit in Game 3 is set for 7:30 p.m.
