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Get your game notes: Red Wings at Bruins

Marchand, Zetterberg

BOSTON, MA - OCTOBER 14: Brad Marchand #63 of the Boston Bruins has words with Henrik Zetterberg #40 of the Detroit Red Wings at the TD Garden on October 14, 2013 in Boston, Massachusetts. (Photo by Brian Babineau/NHLI via Getty Images)

Tonight on NBCSN, it’s the Boston Bruins hosting the Detroit Red Wings starting at 7:30 p.m. ET. Following are some game notes, as compiled by the NHL on NBC research team:

-- The Bruins and Red Wings are the only Original Six matchup in the 1st round. It is the first time these teams have met in the playoffs since the 1957 Semifinals, ending the second-longest postseason matchup drought among Original Six teams (N.Y. Rangers-Detroit – 1950 Stanley Cup Final). The Bruins now have faced every Original Six team in the playoffs in the past 3 years: Detroit (2014 1st rd.), Chicago (2013 Stanley Cup Final), N.Y. Rangers (2013 CSF), Toronto (2013 CQF) & Montreal (2011 CQF).

-- Since the Presidents’ Trophy was introduced in the 1985-86 season, only eight of 27 teams (30%) have claimed both the Presidents’ Trophy and the Stanley Cup in the same season. Two Red Wings teams, in 2001-02 and 2007-08, accomplished that feat. The Bruins, who were the NHL’s top team this season (117 pts.), will look to emulate the most recent team to complete the double, last year’s Chicago Blackhawks. Only once has the feat been accomplished in back-to-back seasons: Colorado in 2000-01 followed by Detroit in 2001-02.

Winners of Presidents’ Trophy and Stanley Cup in same season:

1986-87: Edmonton Oilers 2000-01: Colorado Avalanche 1988-89: Calgary Flames 2001-02: Detroit Red Wings 1993-94: New York Rangers 2007-08: Detroit Red Wings 1998-99: Dallas Stars 2012-13: Chicago Blackhawks

-- This series features three of the longest-tenured active NHL players who have yet to win a Stanley Cup. For the Bruins, winger Jarome Iginla will be making his eighth trip to the playoffs in search of his first Cup, while the Red Wings’ wingers Daniel Alfredsson and Todd Bertuzzi are making their 14th and 10th trips, respectively. Here are the five most experienced players participating in this year’s playoffs – in terms of combined regular season and postseason games – who have yet to win a Stanley Cup.

Player | Playoff Team | Games played without Stanley Cup win

Patrick Marleau, San Jose Sharks, 1388* (1247 reg. season, 141 playoff)

Jarome Iginla, Boston Bruins, 1379 (1310 reg. season, 69 playoff)

Daniel Alfredsson, Detroit Red Wings, 1367 (1246 reg. season, 121 playoff)

Joe Thornton, San Jose Sharks, 1333* (1207 reg. season, 126 playoff)

Todd Bertuzzi, Detroit Red Wings, 1245 (1159 reg. season, 86 playoff)

*includes Sharks’ Game 1 on Apr. 17

-- Bruins goaltender Tuukka Rask posted a career-high 36 wins (36-15-6) and led the NHL in shutouts (seven) this season. However, he struggled in four games this season vs. Detroit. The Finnish goalie played all 240 minutes vs. the Red Wings, and went 1-3-0, with a 3.29 GAA and .871 save%.

-- With Barry Trotz fired as head coach by Nashville on Apr. 14, the Red Wings’ Mike Babcock became the NHL’s longest-tenured coach (hire date: July 15, 2005). The coach on the other side of the partition, the Bruins’ Claude Julien, is second on the experience list (hire date: June 22, 2007). Babcock led the Red Wings to their 23rd consecutive postseason appearance despite the team losing 417 man-games to injury this season (second-most in the NHL, Pittsburgh – 529).

-- The Bruins have played an NHL-high 54 postseason games since the 2010-11 season (when Boston won the Stanley Cup). Six Bruins – forwards David Krejci (whose 22 postseason goals during that span leads the league), Brad Marchand, Milan Lucic, Chris Kelly & Daniel Paille, & defenseman Johnny Boychuk – appeared in all of those games. Kelly and Paille are questionable for Game 1 with injuries.