Hockey Game Odds: Ducks vs Wings
Anaheim Ducks @ Detroit Red Wings
Friday, December 11th – Joe Louis Arena, Detroit
NHL Betting Line: Red Wings -175
What The Ducks Have To Do To Win:
The injury to Teemu Selanne is a huge loss for the Ducks. The winger broke his hand last week and will be out at least a month. The Ducks currently sit last in the Pacific Division, so the timing couldn’t have come at a worse time. Anaheim needs to start getting some offensive numbers from players not named Ryan Getzlaf or Corey Perry. That duo is perhaps the hottest in the NHL, but can only carry the team on their backs for so long. Rookie Dan Sexton scored twice in Anaheim’s comeback against Dallas on Tuesday, so maybe there is something there. But the Saku Koivu’s and Joffrey Lupul’s have to start producing big if the Ducks want to climb out of the basement.
Red Wings (-175) vs Ducks >> Join Now
What The Red Wings Have To Do To Win:
As bad as Anaheim’s injury woes may be, Detroit’s is worse. Niklas Kronwall, Johan Franzen and Valterri Filppula have all missed significant time, and now Dan Cleary is expected to miss a month with a separated shoulder. The Wings have lost four of five and need to somehow find a way to bring back that spark they used to have. The answer may come from stable goaltending. The musical chairs between Chris Osgood and Jimmy Howard has to stop in Detroit or else nothing will get better. Stability in net will allow the rest of the team to relax and play better. Right now it looks like Howard may be the guy. Despite some recent setbacks, Howard has proven to play a better game and be more prepared than Osgood this season. The team needs to ride one goaltender and stick with him. Otherwise their struggles will continue.
Outlook & Pick
Both teams are suffering injury problems, although Detroit’s may be more drastic. Neither team is playing like the playoff contenders they were last season. Anaheim is in a current road slump, going 0-5-3 in a franchise-record eight game road losing streak. The Wings have been no better at home. They’ve been shut out three times already at Joe Louis Arena. That’s as much as they’ve been shut out at home in the past five years combined. Neither team is playing good hockey. But since you have to pick one, go with the home team, even if they stink on home ice.
Pick: Detroit Red Wings
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