Ducks at Red Wings
By Judd Hall
If I were to tell you that the Ducks and Red Wings were headlining Friday’s card in the NHL, you’d normally be excited. This tilt, however, will be a battle of the haves and have nots at the Joe Louis Arena at 7:30 p.m. EST.
Anaheim (28-26-5, 61 points) is embarking on the longest road trip they have this season, a six-game that will have them travel along much of the East Coast and America’s heartland. While many teams don’t look forward to playing away from home, it could do the Ducks some good right now. And it can possibly determine if they’ll be a playoff team this season.
Randy Carlyle’s squad has dropped four of their last six tilts, the past two coming at the Honda Center against the Thrashers and Kings. One of the bigger issues the Ducks have had during this skid is their special teams play.
Anaheim is sixth in the NHL on the power play by converting 22.0 percent of its advantages, but they’ve scored just three goals on 23 chances in this slump. Although, those three power play lamp lighters have come in the Ducks’ last three matches. When killing off penalties, they’re 17th in the league by stuffing opponents 80.9 percent of the time. Yet they’ve allowed four power play goals in their last two tilts.
The Ducks are also having issues in trying to figure out who they’ll use as their starting netminder. I’m sure they want to put Jean-Sebastien Giguere, but he is 3-5-1 with a 3.58 goals against average since the start of the New Year. Jonas Hiller hasn’t been much better with a 1-2 record and a GAA of 2.86 this month.
Detroit (38-12-8, 84 points) is coming into this game on a high note after taking down the Predators as a huge $3.00 home “chalk” last Wednesday, 6-2.
The Wings pretty much had their way against Nashville in that game, scoring two power play goals in the first 20 minutes of action. Detroit wound up scoring on five of the six times that they had the advantage. Most of the Red Wings’ scoring came in just a shade over seven minutes…talk about efficiency.
Johan Franzen also made his triumphant to the ice for the Red Wings last night, too. And he paid immediate dividends with two goals to bring his season total to 24.
The odds are decent that we’ll see Ty Conklin between the pipes for Detroit in this contest. He’s won four straight starts and nine of his last 16 appearances with a 2.16 GAA in that stretch. Bettors might want to hold back a bit if Chris Osgood starts in goal as he’s lost his last two starts with a GAA of 3.87.
Most sportsbooks have installed the Red Wings as $2.70 home favorites with a total of 5 ½. You shouldn’t expect too much value on the puck line for this contest either with Detroit getting a plus-110 return (risk $100 to win $110) to win by at least two goals.
Detroit hasn’t been that profitable on the puck line at home for the gambling public this season with a 14-14 mark on that wager. However, the Wings have gone 3-1 in their last four games in this spot.
Anaheim may be just 13-13-2 on the road this year, but they’ve lost 10 of its last 15 tilts away from home in 2008-2009. The Ducks have also dropped four straight to teams from the Central Division.
The ‘over’ has gone on a 7-0 run for the Red Wings at “The Joe.” But the ‘under’ is 15-3-2 in the last 20 showdowns these squads have had when playing on the banks of the Detroit River.
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Hockey Today
SCOREBOARD
Friday, Feb. 20
Anaheim at Detroit (7:30 p.m. EST). The Stanley Cup champion Red Wings scored five power-play goals in six chances Wednesday night in a 6-2 victory over Nashville.
STARS
Thursday
— Mike Richards, Flyers, had two goals and three assists for a career-high five points in Philadelphia’s 6-3 home win over Buffalo. Richards scored his NHL-leading sixth short-handed goal and second in two games, and added an empty-netter.
— Sergei Gonchar, Penguins, scored the winner—his first goal in three games since returning from a shoulder injury—midway through the third period in Pittsburgh’s 5-4 home victory over Montreal.
— Cristobal Huet and Ben Eager, Blackhawks. Huet made 31 saves for his third shutout of the season, and Eager scored twice in Chicago’s 4-0 win in Florida.
— Eric Staal, Hurricanes, scored his 25th and 26th goals of the season in Carolina’s 6-2 road victory over the New York Islanders.
— Rick Nash, Blue Jackets, scored his 25th goal and had an assist in regulation, then added the shootout winner in Columbus’ 4-3 win in Toronto.
— Patrick Marleau and Evgeni Nabokov, Sharks. Marleau scored his 33rd goal— one off his career high—and Nabokov made 30 saves for his 30th victory of the season in San Jose’s 4-2 home victory over Los Angeles.
— Zach Parise, Devils, scored the tying goal in regulation and had one of New Jersey’s two shootout goals in a 3-2 win in Tampa Bay.
— Adrian Aucoin, Flames, scored with 1:10 left in overtime to give Calgary a 3-2 victory in Minnesota.
— Henrik Sedin, Canucks, had a goal and three assists in Vancouver’s 5-2 victory in Ottawa.
— Keith Tkachuk, Blues, scored with 2:08 left in overtime to give St. Louis a 2-1 win in Nashville.
— Raymond Sawada, Stars, celebrated his 24th birthday with a goal in his NHL debut in Dallas’ 4-2 home victory over Edmonton.
— Daniel Carcillo, Coyotes, scored in the eighth round of the shootout to give Phoenix a 4-3 home victory over Atlanta.
START
Pittsburgh gave new coach Dan Bylsma his first NHL victory, beating Montreal 5-4 on Thursday night. Bylsma took over the team Sunday night after Michel Therrien’s firing, then lost his first game Monday in a shootout against the New York Islanders.
SCHEDULE
Detroit will open the 2009-10 regular season against St. Louis with a two-game series in Stockholm, and Chicago and Florida will play two games in Helsinki. The games are scheduled for Oct. 2-3.
SHARK BITE
San Jose’s Claude Lemieux earned his first NHL point in 2,174 days, assisting on Milan Michalek’s third-period goal in the Sharks’ 4-2 home win over Los Angeles on Thursday night. The 43-year-old Lemieux has played 12 games for San Jose since returning to the NHL following a 5 1/2 -year retirement.
SIDELINED
Ottawa captain Daniel Alfredsson will be out for at least a week after fracturing his jaw Tuesday night against Colorado. He was struck in the face by a puck and left the game for X-rays, but returned to finish the third period and overtime. … Carolina placed right wing Justin Williams on injured reserve because of a broken hand. He was hit by teammate Anton Babchuk’s shot Sunday in Buffalo. … New York Islanders right wing Richard Park will be sidelined about four weeks because of broken ribs.
SURGERY
Tampa Bay defensemen Paul Ranger and Andrej Meszaros are scheduled to have shoulder surgery March 3. Dr. James Andrews will repair torn labrums in their left shoulders. Recovery time is expected to be within six months.
SPEAKING
“I get to come to a place every day that doesn’t feel like work and I don’t think many people can say that. We all have various jobs—I worked in the work force for years—and this just doesn’t feel like work. It’s a passion. It’s like I get to do something that’s my hobby.”—Columbus coach Ken Hitchcock. On Thursday night, he became the 13th NHL coach to win 500 games, directing the Blue Jackets to a 4-3 shootout victory in Toronto. Hitchcock, 500-337-122 in 14 seasons with Dallas, Philadelphia and Columbus, tied Toe Blake for 12th place on the career list.
Tampa Bay Lightning vs. Carolina Hurricanes
The Lightning fell 3-2 to the Devils as +180 underdogs on Thursday. The combined score went UNDEr the posted over/under (5.5).
Ryan Malone had both Lightning goals in regulation.
Eric Staal potted two goals and the Hurricanes defeated the Islanders 6-2 on Thursday, as -155 favorites. The eight goals sailed OVER the posted over/under (5.5).
Ray Whitney, Matt Cullen, Dennis Seidenberg, and Anton Babchuk added singles in that win.
Current streak:
Tampa Bay has lost 3 straight games.
Team records:
Tampa Bay: 19-27-12
Carolina: 29-25-5
Tampa Bay most recently:
When playing on Friday are 5-5
Before playing St. Louis are 3-7
After playing New Jersey are 2-8
After a loss are 5-5
Carolina most recently:
When playing on Friday are 3-7
Before playing Boston are 4-6
After playing NY Islanders are 5-5
After a win are 5-5
A few trends to consider:
The total has gone UNDER in 4 of Tampa Bay's last 6 games when playing Carolina
Tampa Bay is 1-4 SU in its last 5 games on the road
Tampa Bay is 1-4 SU in its last 5 games
Tampa Bay is 0-5 SU in its last 5 games when playing on the road against Carolina
Carolina is 5-0 SU in its last 5 games when playing at home against Tampa Bay
Carolina is 5-0 SU in its last 5 games when playing Tampa Bay
The total has gone UNDER in 10 of Carolina's last 14 games at home
The total has gone UNDER in 4 of Carolina's last 6 games when playing Tampa Bay
Next up:
Tampa Bay home to Boston, Sunday, February 22
Carolina home to Colorado, Sunday, February 22
Colorado Avalanche vs. Washington Capitals
Wojtek Wolski scored in winner in overtime to lift the Avalanche past the Senators 3-2 on Tuesday night.
Colorado cashed in as -135 home favorites as the game played under the 5.5-goal total set by oddsmakers.
The Capitals scored twice in the shootout as they defeated the Canadiens 4-3 last time out. The Capitals won the game as -200 favorites, while the combined score went as a PUSH against the posted over/under (6).
Alexander Ovechkin, Nicklas Backstrom, and Dave Steckel scored in regulation.
Current streak:
Colorado has won 2 straight games.
Washington has won 3 straight games.
Team records:
Colorado: 27-30-1
Washington: 37-16-5
Colorado most recently:
When playing on Friday are 5-5
Before playing Buffalo are 8-8-1
After playing Ottawa are 4-4-1
After a win are 6-4
Washington most recently:
When playing on Friday are 0-10
Before playing Calgary are 4-6
After playing Montreal are 4-6
After a win are 6-4
A few trends to consider:
The total has gone UNDER in 4 of Colorado's last 5 games when playing on the road against Washington
The total has gone UNDER in 8 of Colorado's last 11 games when playing Washington
The total has gone UNDER in 10 of Colorado's last 14 games on the road
The total has gone UNDER in 5 of Colorado's last 7 games
Washington is 21-4 SU in its last 25 games at home
The total has gone OVER in 4 of Washington's last 5 games at home
Washington is 4-1 SU in its last 5 games
The total has gone UNDER in 4 of Washington's last 5 games when playing at home against Colorado
Next up:
Colorado at Carolina, Sunday, February 22
Washington home to Pittsburgh, Sunday, February 22
Anaheim Ducks vs. Detroit Red Wings
The Ducks were defeated 4-3 by the Kings last time out, as -145 favorotes. The seven goals made it OVER the posted over/under (5.5)
Teemu Selanne, Ryan Getzlaf, and Chris Kunitz scored for the Ducks.
The Red Wings erupted with four power play goals and skated to a 6-2 victory over the Predators as -300 favorites on Wednesday. That game's eight goals sailed OVER the posted over/under (5.5).
Nicklas Lidstrom and Johan Franzen scored a pair each to lead the way, while singles came from Jiri Hudler and Henrik Zetterberg.
Current streak:
Anaheim has lost 2 straight games.
Team records:
Anaheim: 28-26-5
Detroit: 38-12-8
Anaheim most recently:
When playing on Friday are 5-5
Before playing Columbus are 4-6
After playing Los Angeles are 3-7
After a loss are 5-5
Detroit most recently:
When playing on Friday are 5-5
Before playing Edmonton are 7-3
After playing Nashville are 6-4
After a win are 7-3
A few trends to consider:
The total has gone UNDER in 9 of Anaheim's last 11 games when playing on the road against Detroit
Anaheim is 6-12 SU in its last 18 games on the road
Anaheim is 2-4 SU in its last 6 games
Anaheim is 6-19 SU in its last 25 games when playing on the road against Detroit
The total has gone OVER in 5 of Detroit's last 5 games at home
Detroit is 12-2 SU in its last 14 games at home
The total has gone OVER in 9 of Detroit's last 11 games
The total has gone UNDER in 9 of Detroit's last 11 games when playing at home against Anaheim
Next up:
Anaheim at Columbus, Saturday, February 21
Detroit at Minnesota, Saturday, February 21
COLORADO vs. WASHINGTON
Colorado is 1-5 SU in its last 6 games on the road
The total has gone UNDER in 10 of Colorado's last 14 games on the road
Washington is 7-2-1 SU in its last 10 games when playing at home against Colorado
The total has gone UNDER in 4 of Washington's last 5 games when playing at home against Colorado
TAMPA BAY vs. CAROLINA
Tampa Bay is 0-5 SU in its last 5 games when playing Carolina
The total has gone UNDER in 4 of Tampa Bay's last 6 games when playing Carolina
Carolina is 2-4 SU in its last 6 games at home
The total has gone UNDER in 10 of Carolina's last 14 games at home
ANAHEIM vs. DETROIT
Anaheim is 6-12 SU in its last 18 games on the road
Anaheim is 2-4 SU in its last 6 games
Detroit is 19-6 SU in its last 25 games when playing at home against Anaheim
The total has gone UNDER in 9 of Detroit's last 11 games when playing at home against Anaheim
Hot teams
-- Colorado won last two games, both in OT, but they lost five of their last six road contests. Washington won three in row, seven of nine games
-- Red Wings won seven of their last nine games.
Cold teams
-- Hurricanes lost their last three road games. Lightning lost three of their last four games.
-- Ducks are 5-9 in their last fourteen road games.
Totals
-- Under is 5-1-1 in last seven Colorado games.
-- Six of last eight Carolina games went over the total.
-- Eight of last ten Detroit games went over the total.
Back-to-Back
-- Lightning is 3-7 if they played the night before.
-- Anaheim is 3-5 on road if it plays again the next night.
Series Records
-- Washington won last two games vs Colorado, 5-3/2-1.
-- Carolina won five in row vs Tampa Bay, last three all 3-2 games.
-- Ducks lost six of last seven visits to Detroit.