Bruins, Red Wings Ready for Original Six Cage Match, Game 2

The only Original Six match-up this year in the opening round of the Stanley Cup playoffs features the top-seeded Boston Bruins and the No 8 Detroit Red Wings.

If anyone thought it would be a cakewalk for Boston, that changed Friday night when the Red Wings took the lead in the series with a thrilling 1-0 victory at TD Garden. Jimmy Howard made 25 saves and Pavel Datsyuk scored late in the third period to give the Wings the stunning victory.

These two teams have storied histories and have won a total of 17 Stanley Cups, with Detroit claiming 11 of those. Boston last hoisted the hardware in 2011, breaking a 39-year championship drought. The Wings won four Cups in 11 years, starting in 1997 after not having won a title in the previous 42. Both clubs lost in their last trip to the finals, Boston falling last season to Chicago in six games and Detroit to Pittsburgh in 2009 after defeating the Penguins in 2008.

This season, the Bruins won the Presidents' Trophy -- for the most points in the regular season -- but have already given home ice advantage back to the Red Wings, who overcame a rash of injuries to make the playoffs for the 23rd consecutive year. Boston totaled 117 points to Detroit's 93, but Sunday's game now becomes a must victory for the Bruins, who cannot afford to lose the first two games of this round at home.

To accomplish its goal, Boston will have to get more out of Patrice Bergeron, David Krejci, and Zdeno Chara. Tuukka Rask played great in net for the Bruins, but Howard stoned them to post his third career playoff shutout. The Red Wings, meanwhile will attempt to play the same type of game they played on Friday and send the crowd home quiet and stunned again.