A couple of teams facing each other for the first time this season, the Detroit Red Wings and the Chicago Blackhawks meet at the United Center. The opening face-off is at 7:30 p.m. ET on Sunday, January 5, and you’ll be able to witness this Original Six matchup live on NBC Sports Network.
Detroit Red Wings at Chicago Blackhawks Odds
Detroit (+170) is currently the underdog to Chicago (-200) and the Over/Under (O/U) is placed at 7 goals. If bettors want to play the game’s total, they’ll be looking at odds of -105 money on the over and -115 on the under.
Producing -1.6 units for moneyline gamblers, the Blackhawks are 18-24 straight up (SU) overall in the 2019-20 season. That early-season winning percentage is right in line with the 36-46 record the team managed during last year’s regular season campaign. Of the team’s 42 games this season, 20 have gone under the total, while 20 have gone over and just one has pushed. The team’s 9-12 SU at home this season.
Chicago has converted on just 15.6 percent of its power play chances this year, a figure that’s ranked 26th overall in the NHL. On the other hand, its penalty kill is ranked 11th overall, and it’s successfully killed off 81.7 percent of all penalties.
Chicago, as a collective unit, has been penalized 3.5 times per game overall this season, 3.2 per game over its last five games total, and 4.0 per game over its last five at home. The team’s had to defend opponent power plays for just 7.2 minutes per game over its last 10 outings, in total.
Sporting a .922 save percentage and 32.3 saves per game, Robin Lehner (12-13-5) has been the primary goalkeeper for the Blackhawks this year. If head coach Jeremy Colliton chooses to give him a rest, however, the Hawks could go with Corey Crawford (6-14-14 record, .905 save percentage, 3.20 goals against average).
The Hawks will continue seeking offensive production out of Patrick Kane and Jonathan Toews. Kane (53 points) has tallied 24 goals and 29 assists and has recorded two or more points 12 times this year. Toews has 10 goals and 20 assists to his credit and has notched at least one point in 18 contests.
On the other bench, Detroit is 10-32 straight up (SU) and has lost 15.4 units for moneyline bettors thus far. Through 42 regular season outings, 20 of its games have gone over the total, while 17 have gone under the total and just five have pushed. As the visiting team , Detroit is 4-17 SU.
Detroit has converted on just 15.3 percent of its power play opportunities this year, a mark that places it in the bottom-10 overall among NHL teams. On the other hand, its penalty kill unit is ranked 30th overall and it’s successfully killed off 73.2 percent of all opponent power plays.
Detroit’s players have been penalized 3.6 times per game this season, and 4.4 per game over their last five on the road. The team’s been forced to stave off opponent power plays just 7.2 minutes per game over their last 10 outings.
Jonathan Bernier (26.0 saves per game) has been the main option in goal for Detroit. Bernier owns an 8-18-2 record, and has registered a .904 save percentage and 3.04 goals against average this year.
Leading the offensive counter for the visiting Red Wings will be Tyler Bertuzzi (15 goals, 16 assists) and Dylan Larkin (10 goals, 16 assists).
Detroit Red Wings at Chicago Blackhawks Betting Predictions
Prediction: SU Winner – Blackhawks, O/U – Under
Betting Trends
Chicago (2-4 in shootouts) has more experience this season in games decided by shootout. Detroit fell short in its lone shootout this season.
For both of these teams, the over has hit in four of their past five matchups.
Over Detroit’s last ten games, seven of them have been decided by two or more goals (the team is 2-5 in those games).
The Hawks this season have dished out the eighth-most hits per game in the NHL (23.8), but that average has jumped up to 29.0 over their past five home outings.
