Win. This. Game.

Photo credit: The Triple Deke via TPL (Check out the ugly jerseys)

THE GAME

Detroit Red Wings (32-16-6) @ Boston Bruins (31-16-7)

This is a big game (to me at least).  It's MY team against the team that owns 20% of the company I work for and we cover on a nightly basis.  This really is a MUST WIN and it is in no way going to be easy.  The Wings have been flat and awful lately.  You might be able to argue that they haven't been THAT bad, but guess what?  It's the Red Wings and I'm a die hard Red Wings fan.  I have very high expectations for this team and losing 3 out of 4 and turning in performances like they did on Wednesday is...well..."unacceptable."  It doesn't help the Bruins are playing well right now either.  They had their mini brawl against the Stars last week, their all out brawl with the Habs two nights ago, and have won 4 of their last 5.  They're saying all the right things about these two upcoming games, saying that no matter how the Wings are playing that they're still an elite team and one of the best.  There is no doubt in my mind this game is a measuring stick to them.  Let's knock them down a couple notches.

THE EXPECTED LINE-UP

Johan Franzen - Henrik Zetterberg - Todd Bertuzzi
Jiri Hudler - Pavel Datsyuk - Danny Cleary
Kris Draper - Darren Helm - Patrick Eaves
Drew Miller - Justin Abdelkader - Tomas Holmstrom

Nicklas Lidstrom - Niklas Kronwall
Johnathon Ericsson - Brian Rafalski
Jakub Kindl - Ruslan Salei

Jimmy Howard (starting)
Joey MacDonald

Injured: Chris Osgood (groin), Brad Stuart (jaw), Mike Modano (wrist)

WHAT TO WATCH FOR

• Former Plymouth Whaler and current Boston Bruin Tyler Seguin will once again be a healthy scratch tonight.  Seguin has just flat out not played very well this season.  Also, keep an eye out for Brad Marchand.  He's a real, good young player.  Works hard every night. 
• Still no Filppula tonight, but we get Holmstrom back for a second game.  I would really like to see him do some damage on the power play against Timmy Thomas tonight.  
• You think it was tough scoring against Nashville and Columbus with our lackluster effort? Boston leads to league in goals against.  Crash the net and crash it hard.  Solid puck movement.  Forecheck.  Shoot.  Shoot.  Shoot.  It's got to be all about effort tonight in the offensive zone.  Boston's D is good...but it's not unbeatable. 
• Tonight!  It's the first game of the H2H2 pledge drive.  I've already pledged $26 thanks to Hudler's first goal of the season.  For the next two games against the Bruins, I'm pledging a $1 for every Red Wings goal, $5 for a win, an additional $5 for a shutout, and $15 if Rig fights Chara.
• I don't hate the Bruins, but I hate them tonight and Sunday.  I will be in an EXTREMELY foul mood if the Wings do not show up tonight.  Pre-game meet-up with Red Wings fans in Boston from 4-7 tonight.  I'll be making a brief appearance and then heading into the game with work.  I'm "helping out" with pre/post/intermission production tonight and will have to watch the game from the suite where we broadcast from.  I'm not sure exactly how everything will all work out, but stay tuned.  Could be a fun, interesting post coming late tonight or tomorrow.

BRENDAN SMITH

Not to forget the namesake...He's ready to return after missing eight games with an injured shoulder. 

Let's Go Red Wings.