First period:
The first 5 minutes of the game were up and down the ice but chances were limited. The Bruins found themselves with a 4 on 2 but they never moved the puck and the spacing was poor forcing a shot by Loui Eriksson that was stopped by Howard. Kyle Quincey and Dan Cleary combined for the first Detroit chance as Cleary screened Tukka Rask as quincy shot from the point, Rask stopped the initial shot and Cleary sent the rebound wide on the backhand. There have been multiple times this season where Detroit's defenseman allow players to carry the puck into the zone with no pressure and let them wind up and take a blast at net, Howard made a big save in a the first on that exact situation on Torey Krug. Kronwall was called for holding and on the ensuing power play, Krug was wide open at the point, while Chara was a wall in front of Howard and Krug blasted the puck into the back of the net for a 1-0 lead. Detroit responded well with a couple of chances of their own, Zetterberg threw the puck across the crease and it hopped over a wide open Datsyuk's stick and Boston cleared the zone. Brendan smith had a chance to shoot as he moved in from the point to the top of the circle but choose to try and make an extra pass and it was tipped away by the Boston defense and it led to an rush up the ice for the Bruins but Howard was up to the task, saving the back hand attempt by David Krejci. Abdelkader was able to walk into the Bruins zone and get a good chance on Rask, who made the save but the rebound bounced to Zetterberg who beat the Boston goalie over his shoulder from the left circle to tie the game at one. Boston almost re-took the lead as Kronwall turned the puck over in front of his own net to Bergeron but Howard was able to cover up before any damage was done to end the period.
Second Period:
The Bruins got the offense started early in the period as Brad Marchand skated up the right wing and with his left handed shot was able to beat Howard as he seemed to over commit his angle allowing the puck to ring off the far post and into the back of the net less then a minute into the period. The Bruins kept pushing the play and had a two on one opportunity but the pass was blocked away nicely by Kindl. The goal scorer Marchand was injured on an accidental collision with Abdelkader in front of the Boston goal, but he was able to return later in the game. Howard made another big save on Jordan Caron before the net was knocked off and play was halted. After back to back icing calls, the Wings were unable to change and the Bruins took advantage, even though the Wings won the faceoff, a turnover in their own zone got the puck to the front of the net and as two Wings went to cover Riley Smith, they left Caron wide open as Smith found him and Caron put it into the back of the net extending the lead to 3-1. The Wings again responded with some chances as Alfredsson had a chance up the right wing denied by Rask, and Tatar had a one on one chance but he tried to spin around the defender and never got a shot away. Andersson drew a penalty to put the Wings on the power play after an energetic shift full of puck possession from Alfredsson but the Wings power play looked awful and created no chances over the two minute span. Bertuzzi drew a penalty near the end of the period and while the Boston power play was unable to score, they set up in the Detroit zone, moved the puck around, got the puck on net, and created chances. It looked like a power play. Boston had a late chance as Howard sprawled across the crease to stop Eriksson, who hesitated too long or he probably would have scored.
Third Period:
The third period was played at a high tempo early but, just like in the opening period, there weren't a lot of great scoring chances. Drew miller had the best chance early for the Wings as Tatar centered the puck on his backhand from behind the net and Miller almost poked it home. Boston's first chance came from Krejci as he skated into the Detroit zone crossing the ice left to right and fired a wrist shot between the circles across his body but Howard made the save. Dekeyser was called for an interference penalty and Patrice Bergeron hit the outside of the post from the right half boards but the Bruins were unable to increase the lead. With the Wings trailing by two they were playing too much in their own zone, unable to make any real effort to come back, including taking back to back penalties as Franzen was whistled for a holding penalty giving the Bruins another power play. This time Boston would take advantage and put the game out of reach as they created a turnover at the blue line and Milan Lucic fed Chara right in front of Howard and he scored easily off his backhand. The game was essentially over at that point and the final 8 minutes didn't offer any excitement as Boston would go on to win by the final margin of 4-1.
Game Notes:
- Shots: Detroit 26, Boston 37
- Faceoffs won: Detroit 32, Boston 25.
- Abdelkader led the Wings with three hits, that's three games in a row!
- Tomas Tatar was active for the first time this year, replacing Mikeal Samuelsson in the lineup.
- Detroits special teams units have not been good thus far through 3 games. The power play is 0 for 12 and the penalty kill has given up 3 goals already.
- Detroit was playing its third game in 4 days, while this was just Boston's second game of the season, they had been off since Thursday. The Wings looked tired in the 3rd, and really unable to match the Bruins intensity all night.
- These two teams will meet in Boston again in 9 days.
- Brendan Smith played against his brother Riley Smith.
Up next: The Wings are off until Thursday when they host Phoenix at the Joe.
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