Sunday NHL Odds, Preview, Prediction: Detroit Red Wings vs. Chicago Blackhawks (Oct. 24)
Roy K. Miller/Icon Sportswire. Pictured: Sam Gagner and Thomas Greiss.
- Detroit makes the trip to Chicago on Sunday, looking to end a two-game losing streak in NHL action.
- The Blackhawks have yet to win this season, but are -150 favorites over the Red Wings.
- Jacob McKenna takes a deep look at this contest below and delivers his top pick.
Red Wings vs. Blackhawks Odds
| Red Wings Odds | +130 |
| Blackhawks Odds | -150 |
| Over/Under | 6 |
| Time | 7 p.m. ET |
| TV | NHL Network |
| Odds via DraftKings. Get up-to-the-minute NHL Odds here. | |
The Detroit Red Wings travel to the Windy City to face off against a Chicago Blackhawks team that has yet to pick up a win this season.
Coming off of two straight losses, Detroit is looking to find some rhythm again on offense as it has only found the back of the net once in its last two games.
Luckily for Detroit, Chicago is in a similar situation. The Blackhawks have scored just four total goals in their last three games and can't seem to find any answers when it comes to stopping their opponent from scoring.
Chicago will be without Patrick Kane for this one, which only makes matters worse for it. Nothing is clicking for the Blackhawks so far, which is why I believe Detroit can get the win on the road.
Red Wings in Search of Bounce-Back Win
This is the second game of a back-to-back for Detroit, which is always a tough task for an NHL team. However, the Blackhawks aren't exactly an imposing opponent, and the Red Wings are more than capable of getting by.
The scoring display has not been flashy for Detroit recently, but the opportunities have been there for it, and eventually pucks will find the back of the net.
Detroit is outshooting its opponent 27-24 and 33-29 in its last two games, but unfortunately for it, Detroit has run into some great goaltending. In this game it likely gets to face Marc-Andre Fleury, a goalie that is vulnerable to letting pucks through this season, which is a dream scenario for any team looking for a bounce-back win.
The Red Wings also rank eighth in the NHL in Expected Goals For per 60 minutes (xGF/60), further proving that the opportunities have been there on the offensive end of the ice.
Alex Nedeljkovic will likely get the start in net for Detroit which is great news. This season Nedeljkovic has an SV% of .926 and a High-Danger SV% of .857 in 5-on-5 situations. He did have to come in and relieve Thomas Greiss on Saturday, but he saved every shot he faced and was not out on the ice for very long.
Tyler Bertuzzi, Detroit's leading scoring, is sitting this one out. However, the Wings have shown great depth so far this season and should be able to hold their ground without him.
Blackhawks Have Major Goaltending Questions
To my surprise, Chicago has yet to pick up a win and has not played competitive hockey this season. By now I thought it would turn around, but things don't appear to be getting much better.
The problem for Chicago is that it has tons of problems,. Focusing in on one specific area of its play and making adjustments isn't going to fix anything.
You're not going to win games when you don't score goals, and that is exactly what we are seeing with this group. Through five games, Chicago ranks last in the league in goals scored in 5-on-5 situations with just three, and it ranks last in the NHL in xGF/60.
Chicago also struggles getting shots off close to the net, ranking 20th in the league in High-Danger Chances For per 60 minutes (HDCF/60).
However, the biggest letdown this season has been in net. After trading for Marc-Andre Fleury in the offseason, it looked like goaltending was going to be the least of Chicago's concerns. However, it has been the exact opposite.
Marc-Andre Fleury is expected to start this game, and he has been as bad as it gets. Fleury comes into this one with a SV% of .793, a High-Danger SV% of .500, -7.57 Goals Saved Above Average, and -4.51 Goals Saved Above Expected. He ranks in the bottom two in all four of those categories, making him one of the least-trusted goalies in the league.
I don't foresee any drastic changes in his performance happening, which will likely lead to more bad news for Chicago.
Red Wings vs. Blackhawks Pick
It is hard to find anything positive to say about the Blackhawks as their season has already spiraled out of control. They haven't done anything well up to this point, and I think they should not be as heavily favored as they are in this matchup.
There is a lot more to like and much more potential with Detroit, despite this being the back end of a back-to-back and their sluggish performance recently. Getting them at these odds provides great value.
This is a good "get-right" spot for the Wings, and I expect them to take full advantage of it.
Pick: Detroit ML (+130) | Play to +115
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