Boston, MA
Detroit Red Wings game score at Boston Bruins: Time, TV for Atlantic Division showdown
When: 7 p.m. Saturday.
Where: TD Garden in Boston.
TV: Bally Sports Detroit Extra.
Streaming: Fubo (free trial).
Radio: WXYT-FM (97.1; Red Wings radio affiliates).
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Game notes: It’s a matchup of the two top teams in the Eastern Conference, which — all due respect to Steve Yzerman’s offseason work — is definitely not a phrase we thought we’d be using at any point in the 2023-24 season. But here we are — the Wings are slumping, with two straight losses (including their first of the season by multiple goals, a 4-1 snoozer to Winnipeg on Thursday night) as are the Bruins — Thursday brought their first regular-season loss (4-3 in OT to Anaheim) since March 28, covering a run of eight wins to end their record-setting 2022-23 season (65 wins, 135 points) and six to open this season. (What happened during the playoffs? Nothing, why do you ask?)
After that first-round loss to the Panthers, the Bruins opted mostly to run it back. Captain Patrice Bergeron is finally retired, but forward David Pastrňák is still as crazy-good as ever — six goals and four assists this season after finishing second in the MVP vote last season — and they’ve added 19-year-old Matthew Poitras, their 2022 second-round pick who’s on a 30-goal pace after putting up just 37 in two seasons in juniors.
The Bruins also bring back Vezina Trophy — aka the MVP for goalies — winner Linus Ullmark. The big Swede (at 6 feet 5 and 212 pounds) is coming off a season in which he posted a .938 save percentage and a 1.89 goals-against average — both led the NHL, as did his 40 wins in 49 appearances. That pretty much matches his career numbers against the Wings: a 1.96 GAA, .936 save percentage and six wins in nine games, including a 3-2 win in Boston on March 11 in which Ullmark gave up two goals in the first five minutes, then shut down Detroit and finished with 29 saves on 31 shots.
The Wings, meanwhile, lead the NHL in goals — also not a phrase we expected to use at any point this season — with 35 goals in eight games, five more than No. 2 Carolina. (Though if you go by goals per game, the Wings are just No. 2, with their 4.38 coming in just behind the L.A. Kings’ 4.5 per contest.) That’s thanks to, yes, Alex DeBrincat and Dylan Larkin, who entered Friday at Nos. 2 and 3 in scoring with 15 and 13 points, respectively. But the Wings have gotten goals from 12 others, as well; their 14 players with goals is No. 2 in the NHL, behind only Vegas’ 16. (Boston has goals from nine players, tied for 24th entering Friday.)
After this one, the Wings head north to Long Island — Elmont, New York, to be precise — for a Monday-night matchup with the Islanders, who are coached by Lane Lambert, Yzerman’s old roommate. The Bruins, meanwhile, have a Monday-night matchup with their playoff antagonists, the Panthers, on the docket.
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Contact Ryan Ford at rford@freepress.com. Follow him on X (which used to be Twitter, y’know?) @theford. Read more on the Detroit Red Wings and sign up for our Red Wings newsletter.