Two teams meeting for the second time this season, the New York Rangers and the Detroit Red Wings meet at Little Caesars Arena for an Original Six showdown. The action will get underway at 7:30 p.m. ET on Friday, December 29 and it can be viewed live on Fox Sports Detroit.
New York Rangers vs. Detroit Red Wings Odds
New York (+115) is currently the underdog to New York (-135), and the Over/Under (O/U) is set at 6 goals. The odds for betting that total stand at -125 money on the over and +105 on the under.
New York is 20-17 straight up (SU) and has earned 1.1 units for moneyline bettors this season. Through 37 regular season contests, 20 of its games have gone over the total, while 15 have gone under and just two have pushed. This 2017-18 Rangers team is 5-8 SU on the road.
New York has converted on 19.3 percent of its power play chances this year, a figure that’s right around league average. Its penalty kill is ranked sixth overall, and it’s successfully killed off 83.5 percent of its penalties.
For the team as a whole, New York has been whistled for penalties just 3.7 times per game overall this season, and 4.6 per game over its past five matchups. The teams been forced to defend opponent power plays just 7.4 minutes per game over their last 10 outings.
With a .921 save percentage and 29.0 saves per game, Henrik Lundqvist (17-14-3) has been the top option in goal for New York this season. If head coach Alain Vigneault decides to rest him, however, New York could turn to Ondrej Pavelec (3-6-1), who has a .924 save percentage and 2.61 goals against average this year.
The visiting Rangers have relied heavily on Mats Zuccarello and Pavel Buchnevich this year. Zuccarello has 29 points on eight goals and 21 assists, and has recorded two or more points in six different games. Buchnevich has 11 goals and 14 assists to his credit (and has notched at least one point in 19 games).
On the other side of the rink, Detroit is 13-23 straight up (SU) and has lost 9.8 units for moneyline bettors this year. 18 of its contests have gone over the total, while another 18 have gone under and none have pushed. It’s 6-12 SU at home this season.
Detroit has converted on 21.2 percent of its power play chances this year, a mark that places it in the top-10 among NHL teams. On the other hand, its penalty kill is ranked 17th overall, and it’s successfully killed off 80.7 percent of all opponent power plays.
Detroit players have been called for penalties 4.0 times per game in total this season, and 2.4 per game over their last five contests. The teams been forced to kill penalties just 7.5 minutes per game over their last 10 outings.
Jimmy Howard has stopped 25.4 shots per game as the top choice in goal for Detroit. Howard has 10 wins, 20 losses, and six overtime losses to his name and has maintained a pedestrian 2.82 goals against average and a subpar .908 save percentage this year.
The home team will be led on offense by Dylan Larkin (five goals, 25 assists).
New York Rangers at Detroit Red Wings Betting Predictions
Predictions: SU Winner – Red Wings, O/U – Under
Betting Trends
- Three of New York’s last ten games have ended in a shootout. The team is 1-2 in those games and 2-3 overall in shootouts this season.
- The total has gone under in three of Detroit’s last five games.
- Detroit has averaged 2.7 goals per game overall this season, but is averaging 1.7 goals per contest over its three-game losing streak.
- Over New York’s last ten games, four of them have been decided by two or more goals (the team is 3-1 in those games).
