The Detroit Red Wings (12-34-4) head to the Xcel Energy Center to play the Minnesota Wild (22-21-6) at 8:00 p.m. ET. We analyze the Red Wings-Wild odds and lines, while providing NHL betting tips around this matchup.
Red Wings at Wild: Projected starting goalies
Jimmy Howard vs. Devan Dubnyk
Howard has been downright terrible lately going 0-13-2 in this last 15 starts and has given up four or more goals in seven of them. His record is 2-18-2 with a .883 save percentage and 4.11 goals against average on the year.
Dubynk has struggled in his own right recently losing four of his last five starts, including 7-3 shellacking in his last start to the Pittsburgh Penguins Jan. 14. Dubynk hasn’t been much better this season either; he is 8-12-2 with a .892 save percentage and a 3.35 GAA on the year.
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Red Wings at Wild: Odds, picks and betting tips
Odds courtesy of BetMGM; access them at USA TODAY Sports for a full set of today’s betting odds. Odds last updated at 2:30 p.m. ET.
Prediction
Wild 5, Red Wings 3
Moneyline (ML)
Let’s PASS ON THE MONEYLINE in the Red Wings-Wild game since Detroit has been a betting sinkhole this season and taking a bad Minnesota team at -278 is just too much to swallow. I’d love to wager on the Red Wings because the Wild aren’t very good, but aside from being awful, it’s a tough spot for the Red Wings. Detroit is playing its fourth game in six days, and that’s an issue. The Red Wings are 0-6 in their last six in the fourth game of a 4-in-6 situation.
Puck Line/Against the Spread (ATS)
On one hand I like the Wild to win on home ice, but on the other hand the Wild -2.5 (+170) is too big of a puck line to get my action. However, I am very comfy BETTING WILD -1.5 (-110) on the alternate spread instead. The Wild have a better record against the spread than the Red Wings: Minnesota is 25-24 ATS compared to Detroit’s 20-30 ATS record. Also, the home team is 6-2 in the last eight meetings and the Red Wings have allowed the most empty net goals (13) in the NHL.
Over/Under (O/U)
If anything the -139 makes me feel stronger about the Over since it’s BetMGM’s way of trying to make the Over too pricey because it’s a lock. The Red Wings have allowed the most goals in the NHL, and the Wild have allowed the fourth-most goals. The Over is 10-3 in Red Wings games when the total is 5.5.
HAMMER OVER 5.5 (-139) despite the juice being on the fringe of tolerable.
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