Red Wings 3, Bruins 2
BOSTON -- Stephen Weiss and Daniel Cleary scored goals 1:40 apart in the second period and the Detroit Red Wings held on for a 3-2 matinee victory over the Boston Bruins on Monday.
The win, Detroit's second on the road in three days, allowed the Red Wings to avenge a 4-1 loss to the Bruins Oct. 5 as the two new division mates played their only two games in Boston in a span of 10 days.
Coming into the rematch, Detroit coach Mike Babcock said, "Let's get started on time and play the way we're capable of," and his team then did just that.
Ahead 3-1 in the third period, the Red Wings (4-2) killed a two-man disadvantage for 1:54. The Bruins, who went 0-for-5 on the power play, took several shots and missed the net with others.
But the Bruins, who also failed on an ensuing power play, got a goal off a scramble from Milan Lucic (No. 3, 100 career) with 1:20 remaining. The Bruins then put pressure on with Tuukka Rask pulled for an extra attacker, but could not score.
After Detroit's Henrik Zetterberg (No. 5) and Boston's Loui Eriksson (No. 2) traded first-period goals, Weiss converted a pass from Johan Franzen for his second goal at 8:21 of the second period. Then, it was Daniel Alfredsson (five assists with his new team) to Cleary, who scored his first at 10:41.
Jimmy Howard was scheduled to start in goal for Detroit but has a bruised hand and realized during warmups he could not play. Backup goalie Jonas Gustavsson, making his 2013-14 debut, stopped 28 shots but was not that severely tested as the Bruins (3-2) suffered their second straight home loss. The lone goal was a deflection off Eriksson's knee on a flip shot by defenseman Johnny Boychuk.
Rask, who had allowed one goal in each of the first four games of the season, was not given much help on the Detroit goals, but did not have a strong game, either. He made 24 saves.
Pavel Datsyuk, who went around Bruins defenseman Zdeno Chara to set up the Zetterberg goal, was brilliant throughout for Detroit.
The Red Wings, new to the Eastern Conference, have joined Boston in the Atlantic Division.
Notes: Bruins center, coach, general manager and legend Milt Schmidt, 95, dropped the ceremonial first puck, as the club, in its 90th season, honored the teams of the 1940s. ... The Bruins embark on a three-game road trip to Florida, Tampa Bay and Buffalo, while the Red Wings host Columbus Tuesday night. The game was changed to 8 p.m. ET with the Tigers playing the Boston Red Sox in Detroit at 4:07 p.m. ... These two Original Six teams played for the 581st time, and they were separated by 11 goals in their all-time series coming in. They play in Detroit Nov. 27 and April 2. ... Detroit RW Jordan Tootoo was OK after taking a two-hand slash to the hand from Philadelphia's Chris Newberry Saturday night. ... Bruins coach Claude Julien attended Sunday night's wild Red Sox game, which followed the New England Patriots' crazy comeback against the New Orleans Saints. "It was pretty neat," Julien said Monday. "What a day for Boston fans, right? When you look at the Patriots game ending, which I heard on my way to the Sox game, to witness that comeback last night was pretty awesome." LW Milan Lucic, quoted on the team's Twitter account, said, "The guys are all excited talking about it going into the game. Obviously we have a lot to live up to." ... Bruins RW Shawn Thornton played in his 500th game.
