The Bruins and Red Wings get things underway Friday at TD Garden. Credit: Getty Images
The Bruins’ longest “break” this season came during the month of February as they did not play an NHL game from Feb. 9 to Feb. 26 due to the Winter Olympics in Sochi.
It’s difficult to say if the B’s benefitted from the rest. Tuukka Rask, Patrice Bergeron, Loui Eriksson, Zdeno Chara and David Krejci all participated in the Sochi games and the Bruins actually lost their first two games back from the hiatus, falling to Buffalo, 5-4, in overtime on Feb. 26 and to the Capitals, 4-2, on March 1. On the flip side, starting March 2 the Bruins rattled off their longest win streak in over 40 years – a 12-game showcase that eventually shot them past Pittsburgh for first place in the Eastern Conference.
The Bruins will have four full days to mull over their series with the Detroit Red Wings, which begins Friday at TD Garden (7:30 p.m., NESN). The opening B’s-Wings tilt is the only NHL first round series that does not begin this Wednesday or Thursday.
return.
“We’re not counting on Dennis to be back,” Bruins GM Peter Chiarelli said. “He has been skating, but that’s all I can say on it. It really hasn’t changed.”
Bruins management were also mum on the status of defenseman Adam McQuaid (quad) and forward Daniel Paille, who fell hard to the ice against Buffalo last Saturday.
Follow Metro Boston sports editor Matt Burke on Twitter @BurkeMetroBOS
