Sadly, it wasn't a perfect weekend for Boston sports teams as the Bruins fell 3-2 to the Red Wings this afternoon at TD Garden. Boston (3-2-0) spotted Detroit (4-2-0) a 3-1 lead in the second period, the first time the B's had trailed by two goals this season, and it was too much to overcome.
For the Red Wings, it was payback for the humbling 4-1 loss the B's had dealt them on October 5. These two Original 6 rivals and new divisionmates will meet twice more: November 27 (night before Thanksgiving) and April 2 in Detroit. Is it too early to start preparing for the inevitable playoff matchup this spring?
Detroit goaltender Jimmy Howard warmed up before the game but didn't play because of a bruised hand. His backup former Maple Leafs scrub Jonas Gustavsson (28 saves) played well in his first start of the season. Boston's piss poor power play (0 for 5 including a 1:54 two-man advantage) didn't help matters. Henrik Zatterberg and Pavel Datsyuk combined for a highlight reel goal with the former one-timing some backhanded sauce from the latter at 11:33 of the first period.
Loui Eriksson tied it at 14:12 after he deflected Johnny Boychuk's shot from the point. Reilly Smith-who played on the second line for struggling Brad Marchand-had the other assist on Eriksson's second goal of the weekend.
The game was won in a span of 2:20 in the second period as new Red Wing Stephen Weiss one-timed a cross ice pass from Johan Franzen then at 10:41 Dan Cleary potted a one-timer out front distributed by Daniel Alfredsson who was stationed behind the net. There was not much that Tuukka Rask (24 saves; 3-2-0) could do as it was Boston defensemen caught in loose coverage in all three tallies.
The aforementioned 5-on-3 was particularly frustrating since the B's peppered Gustavsson with quality chances yet somehow he kept the puck out of the net. Milan Lucic breathed some life into the Garden with his third goal of the season, cutting it to 3-2 with 1:20 left in regulation. Dennis Seidenberg and David Krejci had the assists. Rask was pulled for an extra attacker but time ran out on the Bruins.
It will be a while until the B's are back at the Garden. The circus is here so Boston heads to Florida on Thursday, Tampa Bay on Saturday and Buffalo on Wednesday for a three-game road trip against fellow Atlantic Division squads. They have only had one road game so far this season so being away for a little while should help them bond further with their new teammates. Also, playing terrible opponents like the Panthers and Sabres should wake up the Bruins' dormant offense (8 goals in 5 games).
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