The Chicago Blackhawks have yet to win three games in a row this season but they have a chance to do just that on Friday against the Detroit Red Wings in Hockeytown. The Red Wings, meanwhile, will look to get back in the win column after suffering a deflating shootout loss to the Tampa Bay Lightning on Sunday. Read on for more about this inter-conference matchup.
In the NFL, the New England Patriots and the Indianapolis Colts square off in what should be a barnburner on Sunday. You can see a preview of that game here.
[sc:NHLArticles ]Chicago Blackhawks vs. Detroit Red Wings Betting Preview
Where: Joe Louis Arena, Detroit
When: Friday, November 14, 7:30 PM ET
Line: Chicago Blackhawks at Detroit Red Wings – view all NHL lines
Betting on the Chicago Blackhawks
Chicago isn’t just all about pure talent on offense. This team is also relentless, a quality that makes the Blackhawks even more dangerous on the attack. Their aggressiveness was on full display again Tuesday when they outworked and beat the streaking Lightning for a 3-2 shootout victory.
[sc:NHL240 ]Up against the Lightning, who were on a six-game win streak, Chicago turned on the heat offensively and defensively. The Blackhawks outshot Tampa Bay 39-27, while Corey Crawford did a terrific job of stuffing the Bolts.
Crawford, who is third in the NHL with 1.76 GAA, stopped 25 of Tampa Bay’s 27 shots. As good as Crawford has been thus far this season, though, his high level of play should be partly attributed to the fantastic defensive play of his teammates. Chicago’s goalies face just 27.6 shots per game, the fifth-lowest number in the league. Three of the NHL’s current top 15 players in takeaways are from Chicago with sniper Marian Hossa pacing the team with 14. Jonathan Toews and Patrick Kane have 13 each.
Overall, the Blackhawks are second in the NHL in goals against with only 1.9 allowed per game. Perhaps even more impressive is their special team’s ability to jam opposing teams’ power play chances. Chicago hasn’t surrendered a power play goal in any of their previous six games, going 16-for-16 in the penalty kill.
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Betting on the Detroit Red Wings
After beating the New Jersey Devils, 4-2, to end their three-game skid, the Red Wings were back to their losing ways, as they were defeated in the shootout by Tampa Bay Sunday, 4-3.
The loss to the Bolts was Detroit’s fourth in five games, a stretch that also saw the Red Wings lose three times either in overtime or in the shootout.
The Red Wings have been losing close games lately. In part, that’s because they have been finishing games poorly. Detroit has been outscored 5-2 in the third periods of their last five games.
That should serve as a stark reminder for Detroit to sustain its defensive intensity throughout the game against the Blackhawks. After all, the Red Wings are second best in the league in scoring defense in the first period, allowing just seven goals in that frame thus far this season.
Jimmy Howard will be in net for the Wings against Chicago. The 30-year-old netminder is 6-2-4 with a 2.03 GAA and .923 SV%.
On offense, Pavel Datsyuk is reportedly okay to play on Friday. Datsyuk has been missing from the Red Wings’ last two games after suffering a groin injury. The center has five goals and five assists in eight games played this season. He’ll be a huge addition to Detroit, which is 13th in the league with 2.7 goals per game.
Gustav Nyquist leads the team with eight goals, but only has a goal and an assist in the last five games.
The Red Wings are 3-1 in their last four home games against Chicago.
Writer’s Prediction
Detroit wins, 4-2.
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