Watch Red Wings Vs Bruins Game Five Streaming Online Live; 2014 Stanley Cup Playoffs

Red Wings vs Bruins hits the ice this afternoon in game five at 3 PM Eastern Standard Time. The Bruins vs Red Wings travel back to Boston following a disappointing home stand for the Detroit.

Update: Jonas Gustavsson will likely start game five, as starting goalie Jimmy Howard continues to battle the flu. Detroit has called up Jake Paterson from Grand Rapids to back up Gustavsson.

It’s win or go golfing time for the Detroit Red Wings, who are fielding a team that’s half call ups from Grand Rapids and half battered stars that are just finding their way back from the disabled list. While adding names like Todd Bertuzzi and Henrik Zetterberg back into the lineup should give the Wings a boost, it’s worth noting that many of the call ups haven’t had much time to gel with the experienced stars in real-game situations…and the Stanley Cup playoffs isn’t exactly the time to work out the bugs.

That said, if you’re the Red Wings coach – or even a Red Wings fan – you’re glad to have them back in the lineup and you’ll be just as glad if Jimmy Howard is able to play tonight, as yesterday’s AP report suggested he will. Jonas Gustavsson looked good in goal in game three, despite losing 3-2 in overtime, but this is the playoffs and Detroit’s going to want more experience than Gustavsson brings to the table. In any case, if the Red Wings don’t win this one, their 23rd straight trip to the NHL playoffs will come to a screeching halt, giving them plenty of time to ponder whether they can extend the streak to 24 next year.

The Boston Bruins, who have played a tough, physical brand of hockey (unless you count the fight, which was more humorous than gritty – you can read an account of it here) have plenty of room to play loose if they want to. Boston holds a commanding 3-1 series lead and have seen stellar play from their defense and net minder Tuukka Rask. The Bruins have three chances to seal the deal against a Detroit team that is still trying to figure out its head from its tail.

According to an AP report, Rask – who is one of three finalists for the Vezina Trophy – isn’t taking the series lead for granted. He had this to say going into this afternoon’s Bruins vs Red Wings game:

“We accomplished something on the road we really wanted to do. We have a chance to close the series at home. It’s an opportunity we really have to use, and it won’t be easy, but seeing how our game has improved during this series, it’s a good sign. Sometimes it’s more of a mental challenge than a physical challenge. You kind of start thinking about the end score of the game before the game even starts, and you kind of feel and hope that you get to do that. But I think we’ve learned over the years that it doesn’t help us. We just have to focus on our job and the game itself.”

Look for Detroit to come out playing with desperation from the time the puck drops in tonight’s Bruins vs Red Wings game. You can catch all the action in Red Wings vs Bruins game five streaming online live here.