Tuesday's puck drop against the Red Wings' Atlantic Division rival is set for 7 p.m. on Bally Sports Detroit and the Red Wings Radio Network.
The Bruins are 11-7-0 (22 points) on the season under coach Bruce Cassidy. On Tuesday morning, the Bruins announced Cassidy was placed in the NHL's COVID-19 protocol.
Boston currently ranks fifth in power-play percentage (25.5%) and on their home ice, the Bruins have the sixth-best record in the NHL at 7-3-0. Detroit (10-9-3; 23 points) leads Boston by one point for fourth-place in the Atlantic.
While Tuesday's game has implications in the standings, Detroit is much more focused on the long game, and developing the consistency to play well on a nightly basis, particularly away from home.
"Every night in this league is a litmus test in where you stand," Blashill said. "We're going to a play a real good team in their building, and we want to find a way to win. If we do find a way to win, it says you beat a good team on the road. But we'll have another game the next night and we'll have to find a way to do that."
Brad Marchand leads Boston and is tied for seventh in the NHL with 24 points (9-15-24). Against Detroit, the Bruins will be without the 33-year-old forward after the National Hockey League's Department of Player Safety announced Monday that Marchand was suspended for three games, without pay, for slew-footing Vancouver Canucks defenseman Oliver Ekman-Larsson during NHL Game No. 326 in Boston on Sunday, Nov. 28.
For the Bruins, Bergeron (8 goals, 10 assists) and winger David Pastrnak (7 goals, 11 assists) have each tallied 18 points.
Jeremy Swayman and Linus Ullmark have essentially split time in net, with Swayman recording a 2.42 goals-against average and .908 save percentage. Ullmark made 38 saves in Sunday's 3-2 win over Vancouver.
The Red Wings and Bruins will complete their four-game divisional series in 2022, with both games taking place at Little Caesars Arena.