Don't look now, but we have an epic showdown on ice Tuesday night as the Detroit Red Wings take on the Anaheim Ducks. With that said, we continue our NHL odds series and make our Red Wings-Ducks prediction and pick.
After getting off to one of their best starts in recent memory, the Red Wings have dropped three in a row and are in dire need of a win to snap their losing skid. The last time the Red Wings laced up the skates, they were bested by the Los Angeles Kings on the road by a final score of 4-3. With an overall record of 7-5-3, the Red Wings are eager to get the losing monkey off their backs.
On the other hand, facing off with one another for the second time this season, it was the Ducks that came out flat against the Red Wings in their first meeting coming back on October 23. However, it wasn't just that one matchup that Anaheim has faltered in. Fast forward three weeks later and the Ducks have slipped to a porous 4-10-1 record, which is even a far cry of the 31 total victories that they were able to secure a year ago. Simply put, the Ducks need to reverse their losing ways before it becomes too late.
Here are the Red Wings-Ducks NHL odds, courtesy of FanDuel
NHL Odds: Red Wings-Ducks Odds
Detroit Red Wings: -1.5 (+205)
Anaheim Ducks: +1.5 (-260)
Over: 6.5 (-102)
Under: 6.5 (-120)
Why The Red Wings Could Cover The Spread
It seems like only yesterday when the Red Wings had one of the longest running playoff streaks in all of sports by reaching the postseason for 25 straight seasons, which finally concluded after the 2017 season. Since then, Detroit has failed to make it back to playoff play. With that, they would want nothing more to get back to the days where they were contenders more often than not year in and year out.
A good place to start would be to take this season one game at a time and to not overlook a Ducks team that has struggled more than any team in America. In a losing stretch of their own, the Red Wings certainly have the talent and pieces in the roster to contend and cover the spread.
To begin, it is extremely important for Detroit to find a way to take advantage of the Ducks being vastly shorthanded. With a total of three possible starters possibly not suiting up for Tuesday's action, the Red Wings should automatically have an advantage on the ice. Detroit, unlike Anaheim, is near full strength and has not been hit with the injury bug.
In addition, can the Red Wings do enough offensively? Similarly to the Ducks, the Red Wings rank within the bottom-ten of scoring offenses in the NHL at 2.93 goals per game and have only scored at least five goals two times through the club's opening 15 games of the season. With a respectable defensive unit along with a goaltender in Ville Husso–who has held opponents to 2.54 goals per contest and a flawless .920 save percentage–it will truly be up to the offense to have a breakthrough outing to snap the current losing streak.
Why The Ducks Could Cover The Spread
While it hasn't been a picture perfect start for the Ducks to begin the new season, the fact of the matter is that there are still more than 65 games to be played for them to get on the right track, starting with a home matchup versus Detroit.
With a chance to get revenge from the last meeting against the Red Wings, the Ducks must find a way to play much more efficiently in regulation to have a chance to cover the spread. In fact, the Ducks are the only team in all of hockey to not have a win in regulation yet.
In order to cover the spread, Anaheim can't afford to be lackluster on the offensive side of the ice. By looking at their last two games combined, the Ducks have only scored three goals combined and have suffered for the majority of the season with a 2.67 goals average per game–which currently ranks as the sixth-lowest mark in the entire NHL. Nevertheless, Ducks could cover the spread by continuing to pepper the goalie with shots on goal.
Even in the loss versus Chicago Blackhawks, Anaheim was still able to outshoot them 41-22. If they can continue this kind of offensive pursuit, covering the spread as +1.5 goal underdogs may come true after all.
Final Red Wings-Ducks Prediction & Pick
Clearly, both teams aren't playing their best hockey at the moment, but the fact that the Red Wings are being asked to win by multiple goals in this one will prove to be too steep a hill to climb for Detroit. Hammer the Ducks and you won't be disappointed!
Final Red Wings-Ducks Prediction & Pick: Ducks +1.5 (-260)
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