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The Anaheim Ducks will finish their road trip as they head to Michigan to take on the Detroit Red Wings at Little Caesars Arena. It's time to look at our NHL odds series by making a Ducks-Red Wings prediction and pick.
The Ducks are coming off a 2-1 shootout loss to the Boston Bruins. It was scoreless in the second period when Taylor Hall fired a shot past goalie John Gibson for his second goal of the season to give the Bruins a 1-0 lead. Then, the Ducks quacked back with a game-tying goal from Frank Vatrano. It was his third of the year, knotting the game at 1-1. The teams battled it out to overtime and then had a scoreless extra session, which set up the shootout. Neither could score on their first three chances. Consequently, Hall fired a beautiful shot underneath Gibson's pads, giving the Bruins the only goal in the shootout period and cementing the win.
The Red Wings are coming off a 4-3 overtime loss to the Chicago Blackhawks. Initially, Detroit struck first on a Puis Suter goal in the first period. Dylan Larkin added a goal a minute later thanks to a powerplay goal, making it 2-0 Detroit. Later, the Hawks trailed 3-1 in the third period when Phillip Kurashev lasered a shot past goalie Alex Nedeljkovic to cut the deficit to 3-2. The Hawks tied it when Connor Murphy delivered on a shorthanded opportunity, thus sending the game to overtime. Ultimately, it was a beautiful steal by Max Domi, forcing a turnover and then firing a shot past Nedeljkovic for the win.
John Gibson is the likely starter for the Ducks. Gibson is 1-2-1 with a 4.37 goals against average and an .897 save percentage. Significantly, he is 6-4-1 with a 2.11 goals-against average and a .920 save percentage in his career against Detroit. Ville Huso is the likely starter for Detroit and is 1-0-1 with a 2.50 goals-against average and a .923 save percentage.
The Ducks are 5-3-2 against the Red Wings over the last 10 contests. Also, they are 4-5-1 over the previous 10 away games and 1-2-1 at Little Caesars Arena. Four of the past six games between the Ducks and Red Wings have gone into overtime. Moreover, the last three games have needed an extra period to decide a winner.
Here are the Ducks-Red Wings NHL odds, courtesy of FanDuel
NHL Odds: Ducks-Red Wings Odds
Anaheim Ducks: +1.5 (-210) ML (+126)
Detroit Red Wings: -1.5 (+164) ML (-152)
Over: 6.5 (+126)
Under: 6.5 (-152)
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Why The Ducks Could Cover The Spread
The Ducks are off to a cold start, as their defense has faltered spectacularly. However, they have fared slightly better over the last two games, staying competitive against the New Jersey Devils and the Bruins. Troy Terry leads the Ducks with three goals and three assists. Additionally, newcomer Ryan Strome has a goal and three assists, while rookie Mason McTavish has four assists. Consequently, Trevor Zegras only has two goals and an assist through five games. Thus, expect him to perform better as he attempts to become the scoring leader the Ducks sorely need.
Gibson played well against the Bruins, stopping 35 of 36 shots. Now, he must kick it in full gear and attempt to take down a Detroit team that has played well.
The Ducks have struggled mainly because of a terrible second period. Significantly, other teams have outscored them 11-3 in the middle frames. The Ducks must make better adjustments and not collapse in the middle of the game. Thus, it also means they must not take bad penalties.
The Ducks will cover the spread if they can generate some scoring. Likewise, they must play better throughout the game and not make boneheaded mistakes that put them in the penalty box.
Why The Red Wings Could Cover The Spread
The Red Wings are 2-0-2, mainly due to bad fundamentals in both games. However, one of their overtime losses could have been a regulation loss had Larkin not made a beautiful defensive play to prevent an empty net goal. Larkin has two goals and three assists this year. Additionally, Dominic Kubalik has two goals and three assists. David Perron has generated three goals and an assist.
The Red Wings are playing good hockey and have outscored opponents 6-3 in both the second and third periods. Ultimately, playing three on three has been their weakness, losing both overtime games.
The Red Wings can cover the spread if they can generate pressure on Gibson early. Additionally, they must make smart decisions and avoid bad passes that give Zegras and other skilled players chances to dominate.
Final Ducks-Red Wings Prediction & Pick
The Duck could easily be 3-2 right now had they not made terrible mistakes and held onto a lead. Ultimately, their losses might teach them something. The Red Wings have yet to lose in regulation. Consequently, this will be a competitive game, with the Ducks snagging a rare road win.
Final Ducks-Kings Prediction & Pick: Anaheim Ducks: ML (+126)
