Need to Know: Bruins at Red Wings

BostonBruins.com - A quick road trip to Detroit is on tap for the Bruins, after a disappointing 4-0 loss to the Islanders Monday afternoon.
The Bruins will look to rekindle their recent run of good play - which saw them post a 3-1-1 record before the loss to the Isles - on Wednesday night against the Detroit Red Wings at the Joe Louis Arena.
Puck drop is scheduled for 8:00 p.m. EST on NBC Sports Network and 98.5 The Sports Hub.
Here is what you need to know:

Finding Consistency

The Bruins (23-19-5, 51 points) had been in the midst of a solid run of play over their past five games before falling to New York on Monday. During media availability on Tuesday, the team addressed the step backwards and the need to find more consistency.
"It can't happen," said alternate captain Patrice Bergeron, "Just not showing up in games. Points are so important."
Bergeron, one of the leaders in the B's locker room, knows the team can't continue to take teams and games lightly.
"It was a terrible start and we seemed to not respond when they scored the goals," said Bergeron. "As much as you don't want it to happen, maybe we thought that it was going to be an easier game than it actually was against them."
Defenseman Torey Krug, who saw his three-game goal streak snapped on Monday, wants results, as opposed to words, in his team's return to the ice Wednesday.
"At this point in the season, it's about moving on and making sure we continue to work on our game," said Krug. "Those times where you learn are for early in the year.
"Right now, we want to stop making excuses and just get the job done."

Opposing View

The Red Wings (19-19-6, 44 points) currently sit in seventh place in the Atlantic Division, but are showing signs of life after back-to-back wins against two of the leagues best in Montreal and Pittsburgh.
Forward Thomas Vanek has been stellar for the Red Wings, putting up 12 goals and 18 assists in just 33 games. Vanek scored the lone goal on Monday in a 1-0 win over the Canadiens, and is on a six-game point streak with five goals and four assists over the span.
Part of Vanek's success on the second line can likely be attributed to Henrik Zetterberg's success on the first. Zetterberg, now in his 14th NHL season, all of which have come with Detroit, has posted 31 points (nine goals and 22 assists) in 44 games, good for the team lead. Zetterberg's line constantly matches up against other team's best, meaning fans will likely see him lining up across from Patrice Bergeron fairly often.
The Red Wings have struggled without No. 1 goaltender Jimmy Howard, who has missed a month with a right MCL sprain. Jared Coreau, who stopped 18 shots in yesterday's shutout against Montreal, could get the nod once again against the B's.
Detroit ranks 24th in the NHL in goals for (2.43 goals per game) and 21st in the NHL in goals allowed (2.89 goals per game).

Wait, There's More

• Matt Beleskey, Jimmy Hayes, and Zane McIntyre were the lone Bruins on the ice Tuesday morning at Warrior Ice Arena. Beleskey, who has missed the last 22 games with a right knee injury, will travel to Detroit with the team, according to head coach Claude Julien. His status for Wednesday's game is uncertain.
• Barring a playoff meeting between the two teams, Wednesday night's matchup will mark the final time the Bruins play at Joe Louis Arena in Detroit. The Red Wings have played at Joe Louis Arena since 1979, and will move into the Little Caesars Arena starting next season.
• Wednesday's game will mark the 594th all-time meeting between the Bruins and the Red Wings. Detroit holds a 244-251-95-3 record against the Bruins, despite being outscored 1,786-1,770.