NBCSN’s “Wednesday Night Rivalry” from the “Joe” in Detroit. Two of the Original Six going at for the last time in the old barn at Joe Louis Arena.

Mired among the bottom teams of the Eastern Conference, the Wings’ 25-year playoff streak is on the line. But big wins, 6-3, over Pittsburgh on Saturday and 1-0 Monday vs. Carey Price and Montreal pulled them within six points of third in Atlantic. All while Boston played a 4-0 stinker Monday at home to the lowly Islanders that led to the firing of head coach Jack Capuano despite the ‘W.’

The Black and Gold have not won two straight since the back-to-backer vs. Buffalo to end 2016. Clinging to No. 2 in the Atlantic Divison into Wednesday night – while both Toronto and Ottawa won Tuesday night – the biggest Bruins’ enemy is games played. At 48, Boston has played the most so far in the Eastern Conference, while both of the aforementioned teams have a whopping six games each in hand on Boston – and trail the Bruins by one point.

Rookie Jared Coreau making his third straight start in net after blanking Montreal Monday at 5-1-1 overall, while Tuukka Rask goes back to work after giving up three in two periods against the Islanders before getting the early hook. Rask has 22 of the 23 Bruins’ total wins.

Before the opening faceoff, NHL analyst Bob McKenzie commented about rumors circling about Claude Julien’s status behind the Bruins’ pine.

“Coming off such an abysmal effort against the New York Islanders you start to wonder could this be the last game Claude Julien is going to coach,” McKenzie said during NBCSN’s pregame coverage. “Over the last number of weeks anytime the Bruins have been in that type of position where you felt like this could be it for Claude Julien, the team has rallied a little bit and put some wins together to put some distance between that speculation.”

Here’s what we learned after Julien canceled Tuesday’s practice off Monday’s debacle, tweaked a few changes in his lineup to put some distance between that speculation. But the biggest collapse of the season ensued with a 6-5 shootout loss to further fuel the rumor mill.

Bergeron and Vatrano set early tone in five-goal first period

Julien switched Frank Vatrano and David Backes on the first and third lines. Despite an offside challenge by Detroit coach Jeff Blashill, a Vatrano rebound off a Patrice Bergeron shot just 44 seconds stood up for the early 1-0 lead. Adam McQuaid also assisting.

Two minutes later with Dominic Moore in the box, Brandon Carlo scored short-handed at 2:27 for the two-goal bulge. Assists to Brad Marchand and Bergeron – his second in a span of 1:43.

The Wings’ PP entered the game last in the NHL.

On the power play, Vatrano snapped a Ryan Spooner rebound past Coreau at 8:50 with David Backes also assisting. It was Boston’s sixth man-advantage goal in their last 16 attempts, leading to Coreau’s departure and Petr Mrazek taking over in net. It was the former UMass star’s fifth goal in 14 games.

Vatrano came within a pipe-width of a hat trick when he clanged iron with 7 minutes left. Tomas Tatar sent a laser pass to Dylan Larkin who beat Rask to cut the Wings’ deficit to two at 15:32.

Bergeron deflected a Torey Krug power-play shot past Petr Mrazek for his third point of the period at 19:01.

Wings fly in wild second-period B’s letdown

After outshooting Detroit, 19-7, in the first period, the tables turned with an 8-4 margin for the Wings. Xavier Ouellet beat a screened Rask top shelf far side at 4:21.

A depleted B’s defense, missing the Millers, Kevan and Colin, showed at 9:54 when Thomas Vanek and Mike Green took Joe Morrow to school before Andreas Athanasiou beat Rask low and clean glove side at 9:54. Five minutes later, a Brad Marchand gaffe of the boards sent Tatar in one-on-one before slipping a backhand home to tie the game at 4-4 at 14:36.

Just 21 ticks later, the Black and Gold avoided temporary disaster when McQuaid scored his first of the season on a half-shot dribbler with David Krejci assisting to give Boston the 5-4 lead into the final period.

Wings complete comeback in shootout

With nine combined red lights in first 40 minutes, the final 20 went zip-zip until former UMaine star Gustav Nyquist pulled the Wings even at 5-5 at 16:56.

After a scintillating overtime in which Detroit was perfect in OT at 5-0, the game went to a shootout. Vanek and Marchand exchanged goals before Frans Neilsen drove a backhand top shelf past Rask to seal the 6-5 final.

“Claude’s my guy,” Bergeron said about his coach pregame. “ I’m going to compete for him.”

Big question in The Hub: will 22 others?

Chicago comes to town in 48 hours.