GAME DAY

Though it remains unconfirmed until game time, it looks like Henrik Zetterberg will be making his return to the Red Wings line up tonight. The Wings are in dire need of some offence and the Captain could be just what the doctor ordered. While the Red Wings have had difficultly gaining much ground on the Bruins this series, they had their number in the regular season and Zetterberg was a major part of those wins with four points (3G, 1A) in three games. In addition his leadership, scoring touch, and playmaking abilities, Zetterberg already has the best playoff beard in the league, even if he had a head start.

In order to start beating Tuukka Rask, the Wings are going to have to solve the Bruins defense first. The Bruins D-men are doing a fantastic job of controlling what areas of the offensive zone the Wings are allowed any time and space, and it’s pretty tough to score from those places. The battle cry for Game 4 will be a push to conquer the middle of the ice on the attack. The only two goals that they’ve scored in the series so far have come from causing trouble down the middle. Pavel Datsyuk may not have scored that game winner had Justin Abdelkader not tied up the Boston D and provided a screen. Luke Glendening’s goal was a direct example of having good things happen when you crash the net. Tuukka Rask is far too good of a goalie to beat consistently from the perimeter without any traffic.

Todd Bertuzzi will be in the lineup tonight and should be a major help in the effort to make things harder on Rask and the Bruins D. While the initial game plan was to beat the Bruins with their speed, that game plan has shifted to need a little more grit and traffic and Bertuzzi is just the guy to provide it. Bertuzzi may only have five points in his last twenty games but I’d wager his presence is capable of sparking the offense every bit as much as a player with two or three times the amount of point in as many games. Big Bert will be bringing his veteran presence and grit to a line with Tomas Tatar and Riley Sheahan. Tomas Jurco will be out of the lineup.

Daniel Alfredsson will miss Game 4 will the nagging back injury that kept him out of Game 3. He is expected back for Saturday’s game in Boston.

With Bertuzzi and potentially Zetterberg returning tonight, the Red Wings forward lines will have a bit of a different look. The third lien of Nyquist - Helm - Franzen could be a deadly with the Helm’s speed, Nyquist’s scoring, and a little grit from Franzen. Likewise with the second line, perhaps the speed/grit, kid/veteran, hybrid combinations will be the handful for the Bruins that the Wings need to get at Rask.

Those of you who like to get a little sentimental can cheer a little extra for Pavel Datsyuk and Niklas Kronwall to score a goal for their newborn babies. Expect both proud papas to have big games and start imagining your tug-at-the-heartstrings headlines for the morning paper after one of them scores the game winner.

PROJECTED LINES

RED WINGS

Zetterberg - Datsyuk - Abdelkader
Bertuzzi - Sheahan - Tatar
Nyquist - Helm - Franzen
Miller - Glendening - Legwand

Kronwall - Smith
Quincey - DeKeyser
Kindl - Lashoff

Jimmy Howard (starting)
Jonas Gustavsson

Injuries: Weiss, Samuelsson, Cleary, Alfredsson, Ericsson

BRUINS

Lucic - Krejci - Iginla
Marchand - Bergeron - Smith
Florek - Soderberg - Eriksson
Caron - Campbell - Thornton

Chara - Boychuk
Meszaros - Miller
Krug - Hamilton

Tuukka Rask (starting)
Chad Johnson

Injuries: Savard, McQuaid, Saidenberg, Paille, Kelly, Bartkowski

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