DETROIT - When the Detroit Red Wings took the ice for their season opener, coach Mike Babcocks team already had one significant advantage. The Red Wings hadnt played the night before. The Boston Bruins had. A month from now, or two months from now, it doesnt matter. But right now it does matter, when you start and you play back to back, its wear and tear on you for sure, Babcock said. Gustav Nyquists power-play goal in the second period lifted Detroit to a 2-1 victory over the Bruins on Thursday night. Boston managed only 17 shots on goal and just nine through the first two periods. The Bruins beat Philadelphia in their opener Wednesday. Justin Abdelkader also scored for Detroit, which lost to the Bruins in the first round of last seasons playoffs. Patrice Bergeron scored Bostons only goal Thursday. Jimmy Howard had 16 saves for the Red Wings. Detroit was without star forward Pavel Datsyuk, who is recovering from a separated shoulder. Boston nearly tied it late in the third after Detroits Johan Franzen was called for elbowing Bergeron, but Brad Marchands shot pinged off the post, and Zdeno Chara was called for goaltender interference seconds later, ending the power play with 1:46 remaining in the game. Any time you have back to backs with a couple of hours flight, you always feel it, Marchand said. We just didnt play our system very well. We werent getting pucks deep and we were turning it over at the blue line. Nyquist led the Red Wings with 28 goals last season, and Detroit overcame injuries to players like Datsyuk and Henrik Zetterberg to extend its post-season streak. The Red Wings made the playoffs for the 23rd straight time, but they were eliminated by Boston in five games. The Bruins struggled to match Detroits energy early in Thursdays game. Boston didnt manage a shot on goal until 12:01 into the first period, although Bergeron scored on that one, beating Howard with a wrist shot from the top of the left circle for an unassisted goal. Howie sits there for 25 minutes, doesnt get any shots, and the first one goes over his shoulder, Babcock said. Youre saying to yourself, Well, this isnt very good. But I thought he really had good focus. Howies been good. Hes been dialed in. He obviously worked real hard in the off-season. The Red Wings tied it in the second when Danny DeKeysers shot from the blue line was deflected by Abdelkader past Tuukka Rask, the Bruins Vezina Trophy-winning goaltender. We knew it was big to come out to a big start because they played last night, wear on their D as much as we could, Abdelkader said. It was good. Theyre one of the favourites. Theyre one of the teams everyone is talking about to be Stanley Cup favourites, so its good for us. Abdelkaders goal came moments after a shot by Chara slipped past Howard, only to bounce off the right post. Rask had almost no chance on Nyquists goal, which came while Bergeron was in the penalty box for slashing. Darren Helm found Nyquist in front, and the 25-year-old Swede scored from point-blank range with 5:14 remaining in the period. We played a pretty solid defensive game, Rask said. The second period was real bad, by our standards. NOTES: Bostons season low in shots in 2013-14 was 17. It happened twice. ... Franzen was initially credited with Detroits first goal. He and Abdelkader were both in the area of the deflection, but the goal was eventually awarded to Abdelkader. ... Rask had 22 saves. ... Datsyuk was unable to play Thursday, but he did suit up for player introductions before the game and received a nice cheer from the home crowd at Joe Louis Arena. Justin Steele Jersey . 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Robel Garcia Cubs Jersey .I shared with him how much I appreciated all he had done for us, Celtics president of basketball operations Danny Ainge said of that Thursday night farewell.CHARLOTTE, N.C. -- Al Jefferson is doubtful for Game 4 Monday night against the Miami Heat due to a lingering foot injury, according to Bobcats coach Steve Clifford. Jefferson, the teams leading scorer and rebounder, has been hobbled since straining the plantar fascia in his left foot in the first quarter of Game 1. He didnt participate in Mondays shoot around. "Hes not close to where he was for the last two games," Clifford said. Clifford said in Game 3 Jeffersons foot got worse as the game progressed and having only one day off in between games didnt help his chances of being ready for Game 4. Jefferson hobbled noticeably Monday as he left the gym after watching teammates shoot around in practice. Jefferson said he feels as if hes "walking on needles." "I wouldnt wish this pain on anyone," Jefferson said. "Its the worst pain Ive ever dealt with in my career." Jefferson wouldnt rule himself out, saying hes taking things hour-to-hour. "Im seeing how its going to feel and go from there," Jefferson said. Miami leads the series 3-0 and can close out the Bobcats with a win Monday night in Charlotte. Clifford said Bismack Biyombo is expected to start for Jefferson. That represents a major dropoff in production, particularly from the offensive end. Jefferson averaged 21.8 points and 10.8 rebound per game in his first season with the Bobcats, while Biyombo has never scored more than 14 points in a game..dddddddddddd. Biyombo has only played 15 minutes in the playoffs and scored one point. Jeffersons teammates said they respect his ability to get on the floor the past two games. "He has given us all he can," point guard Kemba Walker said. "And I think down to a man we appreciate his effort. Hes been nothing but great for us. He has been playing really well and hes not 100 per cent." Said Clifford: "I know how badly Al wants to play. The most upset person about this is him. So its frustrating, but again its part of pro sports." Clifford said the Bobcats will play more five-man basketball using pick and rolls, rather than relying on Jefferson in the low post. Walker, the teams second-leading scorer, will be relied upon to help pick up the slack in Jeffersons absence. "We have to find better ways for Kemba to be on the attack," Clifford said. Jefferson said its frustrating that he worked so hard all season only to injure the foot in the first quarter of the playoffs. "This season has been a great season for all of the things we have done so far," Jefferson said. "We are going into the game tonight trying to win... Regardless of what may happen it has been a wonderful season and guys have a lot to be proud of for the things we have done this season. But we cant take any steps back. We have to continue to build and get better." Jefferson said he wont need surgery after the season. ' ' '