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Slumping Bruins look to avenge loss to Red Wings (Jan 24, 2017)
BOSTON -- Last week in Detroit, the Red Wings rallied from three goals down and stunned the Boston Bruins 6-5 in a shootout.
Both teams have played twice since and have lost each game, but the losses have been entirely different.
The teams meet again in Boston on Tuesday with opposite outlooks in the final week before the All-Star break.
The Red Wings have suffered a pair of overtime losses since the Bruins left town. Boston, on the other hand, has scored one goal in losing two straight to run its losing streak to four in a row -- as storm clouds continue to hover above the head of coach Claude Julien.
The Red Wings lost two forwards -- Dylan Larkin (upper body) and Thomas Vanek (lower) to injuries in Sunday's 1-0 overtime loss to the New York Rangers. Neither will play Tuesday and Steve Ott, out with a shoulder injury, practiced Monday but didn't know if he'd be able to go in Boston.
"I'm not worried about who we don't have, I'm worried about the guys that will be dressed," coach Jeff Blashill said. "We'll have 20 good enough to go win a hockey game in Boston. We gotta go execute."
So do the Bruins, who are 3-5-2 in their last 10 games and 10-12-0 on the season at home, where they have been shut out in their last two contests.
As Julien deals with the questions about his job security -- or lack of it -- he continues to coach his team. He lost Tuukka Rask to a migraine during Sunday's loss in Pittsburgh and the goaltender didn't practice Monday.
How important is it for Rask to be in the lineup? Well, he is 22-14-4 and often the reason the Bruins are in games. The other two goalies, Zane McIntyre and Anton Khudobin, are a combined 1-8-2.
Julien put the Bruins through a 50-minute workout Monday and liked what he saw.
"Sometimes, you have to go back to the drawing board when you see enough of different things," Julien said. "We decided that we need a little eye-opening moment.
"I liked our practice today. And I hope our guys can bring that kind of energy and determination (Tuesday)."
The Bruins could get the Millers -- defensemen Colin and Kevan -- back from injury Tuesday. Colin has been out six games with a lower-body injury and Kevan is nursing an upper-body ailment. Both practice Monday.
"Colin was full contact, so we're evaluating him as we speak. Kevan, it depends on how well he feels," Julien said.
Tomas Jurco will provide depth for the Red Wings, who could also use veteran forward Drew Miller, who cleared waivers Monday for a trip to the minors but could be available.
Rask shut the Red Wings out in Boston with 24 saves on Oct. 29.
The Red Wings, currently on the outside looking in at the playoff picture, can make up ground Tuesday and Wednesday, at Boston and home against the Toronto Maple Leafs.
"These are big games ... division games, teams we are chasing," captain Henrik Zetterberg said. "If we win those games we are going great so that's what we need to do."
The Bruins are 8-2-1 in the last 2 1/2 seasons against the Red Wings.
