DETROIT -- Two of the three star players missing from the Detroit Red Wings practice Wednesday are expected to play in Game 4 on Thursday at Joe Louis Arena (8 p.m. ET, NBCSN, TSN, NESN, FS-D). The other is in question.

The Red Wings trail the Boston Bruins in the best-of-7 Eastern Conference First Round series 2-1 after a 3-0 loss Tuesday.

DETROIT -- After participating in a full practice and taking line rushes Wednesday, injured Detroit Red Wings captain Henrik Zetterberg neither confirmed nor denied his availability for Game 4 of the Eastern Conference First Round series on Thursday against the Boston Bruins (8 p.m. ET; NBCSN, TSN, NESN, FS-D).

Zetterberg said he has to be cleared by team doctors and as of Wednesday afternoon he wasn't planning to visit with them before Game 4. He said he's still eyeing the second round for his potential return and that the late start to the Red Wings-Bruins series helped.

Detroit and Boston were the last teams to play Game 1 in the Stanley Cup Playoffs. The Bruins lead the best-of-7 series 2-1.

"I have to feel ready to play. Today was a good step in practicing," Zetterberg said. "We're still saying round two, but we all know we gained a couple of days. I can't really say anything now. I'm just happy I had my first real skate and now we'll see how I feel in the morning."

DETROIT -- Defenseman Matt Bartkowski is in the Boston Bruins lineup Tuesday at Joe Louis Arena after missing the first two games of the Eastern Conference First Round series against the Detroit Red Wings because of the flu.

The best-of-7 series is tied 1-1.

Bartkowski took the place of Andrej Meszaros, who played the first two games and averaged 18:11 of ice time with no points, four shots on goal and a plus-1 rating.

DETROIT -- Mike Babcock has the solution for the Detroit Red Wings' power-play problems against the Boston Bruins.

"Why not win a faceoff and get going," Babcock said.

Detroit has lost the faceoff to start five of its six power plays through two games in the best-of-7 Eastern Conference First Round series. It's not surprising then that the Red Wings are 0-for-6 on the power play with only two shots on goal entering Game 3 on Tuesday at Joe Louis Arena.

DETROIT -- Still bothered by an upper-body injury, Detroit Red Wings forward Daniel Alfredsson will not play in Game 3 of the Eastern Conference First Round series against the Boston Bruins at Joe Louis Arena on Tuesday (7:30 p.m. ET; NBCSN, TSN2, NESN, FS-D).

The best-of-7 series is tied, 1-1.

Alfredsson did not practice Monday after playing 17:03 in Game 2 on Sunday. Red Wings coach Mike Babcock said he needed another day of rest.

Left wing Joakim Andersson will replace Alfredsson in the lineup and will start the game on a line with center Darren Helm and right wing Tomas Jurco.

CHICAGO -- Chicago Blackhawks goalie Corey Crawford was hard on himself after Game 2 against the St. Louis Blues, saying the defending Stanley Cup champions have no chance to get out of the Western Conference First Round if he doesn't improve.

Blackhawks coach Joel Quenneville agreed, in a very matter-of-fact way.

"He said he needs to be better," Quenneville said. "He needs to be better."

Crawford has allowed eight goals on 83 shots (.904 save percentage) in 166 minutes in the series. He's made some spectacular saves, such as when he robbed Blues forward Vladimir Tarasenko with a diving right arm stop in the second period of Game 1.

ST. LOUIS -- St. Louis Blues forward T.J. Oshie is back in the lineup for Game 2 of the Western Conference First Round series Saturday at Scottrade Center.

The Blues lead 1-0 in the best-of-7 series against the Chicago Blackhawks,

Oshie missed Game 1 on Thursday and the last two games of the regular season after getting hit in the head by Minnesota Wild forward Mike Rupp on April 10. Rupp was suspended four games for an illegal check to the head.

Oshie started the game on the Blues first line with David Backes and Alexander Steen. Steve Ott played in that spot in Game 1 and assisted on Steen's triple-overtime winning goal, but he was moved to the third line with Derek Roy and Ryan Reaves.

ST. LOUIS -- The brace around Patrick Kane's left knee is hidden by his red socks, but there's no hiding the fact that the Chicago Blackhawks star right wing has to learn to deal with the new, cumbersome piece of equipment if he's going to be as valuable in the Stanley Cup Playoffs as he was last year, when he won the Conn Smythe Trophy.

Kane will wear the knee brace for Game 1 of the Western Conference First Round series Thursday at Scottrade Center against the St. Louis Blues (8 p.m. ET; NBCSN, CBC, RDS2, CSN-CH, FS-MW). It'll be his first game since injuring his knee on March 19. He missed the final 12 regular season games.

Kane anticipates having to wear the knee brace for the foreseeable future, but insists it doesn't affect the way he skates or his range of motion. He said he's comfortable, doesn't feel limited, and isn't thinking about the brace when he's playing.

"I feel like the same player," said Kane, who had 29 goals and 69 points in 69 regular season games. "Once you kind of get into skating with the puck or other game situations like we've done in some practices, it's the last thing on my mind. When you're out there playing and skating around, it's not like I'm thinking, 'How does my brace feel?' I'm thinking about making a play and making the right one. It's something I have to deal with, but I'm not really worried about it."

NEWARK, N.J. -- New Jersey Devils coach Peter DeBoer touched upon his future with the organization before the game Sunday against the Boston Bruins. DeBoer is in negotiations for a contract extension, according to CBC's Elliotte Friedman.

“You know what? I don’t know," DeBoer said when asked about the report. "When you're a coach in this League I think you come to work, you invest yourself fully in your job and your team, and you do the absolute best job you can. I’m comfortable that our staff did that and other people make those decisions."

DeBoer also fielded numerous questions during his pregame press conference about the game potentially being the final one for goalie Martin Brodeur as a member of the Devils.

"I would expect the players will feel this is a meaningful game for Brodeur," DeBoer said. "I don't think there's any question everyone knows the potential significance of this. No one can predict what will happen three or four months from now, but I think the guys are very aware of that."

NEWARK, N.J. -- In dire need of a win Friday night, Washington Capitals coach Adam Oates is turning to an old plan he knows has been successful in the past and should be going forward.

Captain Alex Ovechkin and center Nicklas Backstrom will start on the same line when the Capitals play the New Jersey Devils at Prudential Center (7 p.m. ET, NBCSN). Ovechkin and Backstrom haven't started a game on the same line since March 16 against the Toronto Maple Leafs.

Oates admitted he's putting them back together because the Capitals need a burst of energy from their best players against the Devils, who are five points and three teams behind in the Eastern Conference wild-card race for the Stanley Cup Playoffs, but could leap the Capitals with a win of any kind Friday. Washington is four points behind the Columbus Blue Jackets, who are also in action Friday against the Chicago Blackhawks.

"We'll see how it goes," said Ovechkin, who for the past seven games has played with Jay Beagle as the center on his line. "It's totally [Oates'] decision. He wants to get team better so he tries to find chemistry, maybe chemistry back, and new lines."