Zdeno-Chara-4-2-14

Bruins defenseman Zdeno Chara, at 6-9, towers over every player in the NHL, including Red Wings goalie Jimmy Howard.

(The Associated Press)

DETROIT – Detroit Red Wings forward Tomas Tatar is preparing for his first taste of Stanley Cup playoff action against the Boston Bruins, and who is he going to be lined up against?

It’s his close friend any fellow countryman, Zdeno Chara.

Tatar likes to get his nose dirty around net despite his small frame (5-foot-10, 186 pounds).The 6-foot-9, 255-pound Chara likes punishing players who hang around the net.

Tatar is looking forward to renewing acquaintances with his fellow Slovak.

“I know him like a friend, but he’s not real friendly on the ice,” Tatar said. “He’s one of the best defensemen in the league. He’s a really strong guy, he’s got pretty good skill. He’s got height and he’s really heavy. It’s tough to battle against him in front of the net. Just have to be quick and move around him.”

Of the NHL's 14 Slovakian players, four will suit up in this first-round series that begins Friday at TD Garden. The others are Red Wings rookie forward Tomas Jurco and Bruins defensemen Andrej Meszaros.

It’s a tight-knit group. Chara, 37, took Tatar, 23, under his wing a few years ago after he was drafted. Tatar said they’re essentially from the same hometown and see each other in the summer.

“Even maybe before I got drafted I started practicing with big guys back home like (former Red Wing and current Chicago Blackhawk) Marian Hossa,” Tatar said. “I had chance to meet Z (Chara); he helped me and gave me advice all the time. He was great leadership example for me.”

They played together in the 2012 World Championship and 2014 Olympics, in which Chara had the honor of being the flag bearer for Slovakia during the opening ceremonies.

“I think he was one of the best leaders I’ve had a chance to play with,” Tatar said. “I realized how big he is for a team and how much power he can give you. I learned a lot just being around him.”

One thing is Tatar learned is to not train with Chara in the off-season.

“I would say it’s pretty much impossible to train with Z,” Tatar said. “He’s doing extremely heavy weights, he’s so big and so heavy, just how he (works out). It doesn’t matter how old he is, he does the same thing all the time. It’s pretty unique. Everybody knows that around the league; that’s why he gets so much respect.”

Chara is a six-time postseason NHL All-Star who won the Norris Trophy as the league’s top defenseman in 2009 and could be a finalist this season.

“When he stands on the hash marks in his own zone he’s got one foot on one hash and one foot on the other hash and he can reach to your blue line,” Red Wings coach Mike Babcock said. “I’ve coached against him a ton. He’s a good player. As a good a player as he is he’s probably a better leader and better person. Those are the guys you build a franchise around, him and (center Patrice) Bergeron, they set the tone for them.”

Chara also is difficult to deal with in the offensive zone. He has a booming shot from the point and is often used as a net-front presence on the power play.

“He’s so big out there, but he moves so well for that size,” Red Wings defenseman Niklas Kronwall said. “His stick is ridiculously long. The ice he can cover, I don’t think we’ll see anyone be able to cover that kind of ice surface again. And he just makes the right plays.”

Speed is the best way to counter Chara and the other bigger Bruins. That's what Gustav Nyquist did in the teams' most recent meeting, using a burst of speed to circle around Chara and score the game-winning goal against Tuukka Rask.

“You think 99.9 percent of the other D wouldn’t be able to reach the puck but he can so you got to really be aware of that so you don’t get turnovers,” Nyquist said. “As a smaller player, you really got to use your feet and move as much as possible and spin off and not have him get you caught up in the corner.”

Chara led the Bruins in hits and figures to rack up some more over the course of a potential seven-game series.

“No matter what would happen, even if he hits me, I would never get mad at him off the ice,” Tatar said. “What happens on the ice stays on the ice and we are friends off the ice.”

He added, “It would be nice to beat him.”