Anaheim @ DETROIT
DETROIT +105 over Anaheim

Pinnacle +105  B365 +100 SportsInteraction +100 5DIMES +100 888Sport -110

Posted at 1:30 PM EST.

DETROIT +106 over Anaheim 

7:05 PM EST. OT included. Detroit is now 2-0 after defeating the Stars and Preds. They were the second best team on the ice v Nashville but they were much better in its second game versus the Stars. Both games were tied at some point in the third period and if you recall last season, Detroit lost a high percentage of those games that they were either leading or tied going to the third. 

Said Dylan Larkin, “We’ve had some tough go’s last year (closing out games), and it’s something we really emphasized toward the end of the stretch last year. When we’re in one-goal games, let’s make it hard for the other team – they don’t get easy goals. It’s not going to be perfect every night, like you saw (Sunday) they responded right away (tying the game early in the third period), but there was no panic." 

The Ducks are also 2-0. Two teams with two of the lowest point projections are a combined 4-0 and now the Red Wings are at home while the Ducks will take to the road for the first time. Detroit beat two pretty good teams and actually dominated Dallas on Sunday while the Ducks beat San Jose and Arizona and got outshot in both. Now we get the Red Wings as a pooch in their own barn because of the overreaction to a bunch of their injuries.  

The Red Wings will undergo a massive roster overhaul for this one after playing Sunday. Detroit has placed four players on injured reserve and recalled four others to replace them. Forwards Andreas Athanasiou and Frans Nielsen and defensemen Jonathan Ericsson and Trevor Daley will all hit the shelf. However, Athanasiou and Ericsson didn’t play in the first two games and losing Daley is not a big deal either. 

In their stead, forwards Evgeny Svechnikov and Ryan Kuffner and defenseman Oliwer Kaski have been recalled from the AHL’s Grand Rapids while recently-acquired defenseman Alex Biega will remain in Detroit rather than report to the minors. This sudden rash of injuries does allow for the Red Wings to take a closer look at some of their depth players. Bieska is a veteran (31-years old) defender that played in 41 games for the Canucks last year, recording a career-high 16 points. Detroit has good depth on the back end in Grand Rapids, but Biega is the most experienced option. Kaski is also an interesting figure on the blue line. The talented 24-year-old Finn was a near point-per-game scorer in the Liiga last season and may already be NHL-ready. Up front, Svechnikov is a name known by many, even though he missed all of last season with an injury. The 2015 first-rounder was once considered a surefire future Red Wing and he is out to prove he can still reach that expectation. Kuffner is looking to do the same; he got a taste of the NHL last season after wrapping up a dominant college career at Princeton University and wants to show that he is a player that belongs at the top level. 

So, while injuries to core players are never a positive, this could be an exception and maybe even a blessing in disguise. Athanasiou’s speed and talent will be missed but you’re going to have at least four players inject energy into that lineup and also four players that will be playing like it’s Game 7 of the playoffs. Should Detroit be the underdog here? No.  

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Our Pick

DETROIT +105 (Risking 2 units - To Win: 2.10)

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