The Detroit Red Wings and Ottawa Senators get set to play a significant home and home series this week with playoff implications.
All Odds Courtesy of FanDuel Sportsbook
Detroit Red Wings (+114) vs. Ottawa Senators (-137) Total: 6.5 (O -108, U -112)
The Eastern Conference is in a major logjam with multiple teams looking to solidify their playoff positioning. Detroit and Ottawa are two teams looking to jump from rebuilding into a playoff contender, and both made strides this year. The Sens are listed as slight home favorites on the moneyline at -137, while the Red Wings are +114.
This will be the third of four meetings between the clubs. The first saw the Sens win 6-3, while the Red Wings responded with a 4-2 victory. Entering this matchup, the Red Wings are 7-3 over their last ten games, while the Sens are 6-3-1.
Looking toward the projected goalie matchup, the Red Wings are expected to start Ville Husso, while the Senators should counter with Cam Talbot. The Red Wings netminder has a 23-14-5 record with a .907 save percentage, while Talbot is 12-14-1 with a .905 save percentage. There isn’t much advantage in the net, but the Red Wings are a slightly better defensive team.
With these teams colliding twice over the next two days, the importance of these games can’t be understated. The Red Wings are playing more consistently, with more to like about their direction. As a result, targeting their plus-money price tag is the direction bettors should likely lean.
Best Bet: Red Wings moneyline (+114)
Both teams are relatively middle-of-the-pack squads regarding goals scored and allowed per game, which aligns with their current standing in the playoff race. They’ve already combined for nine and six goals in their two matchups, with tonight’s total being 6.5. Over the Red Wings’ last five games, they’ve seen seven or more goals scored in just one, while the Sens have seen that in three. These teams have had no problem scoring against each other, leading us to the over 6.5 at -108.
Best Bet: Over 6.5 (-108)
The Detroit Red Wings don’t conjure up visions of offensive star power, but some solid goal-scorers are on the roster. However, Dylan Larkin stands out, recording 57 points in 57 games. We’ll happily lean his way with Larkin listed at an appetizing price of +205 to light the lamp.
Best Prop: Dylan Larkin to Record Over 0.5 Goals (+205)
