Injury-riddled Detroit heads for Cali
Few NHL squads accomplish more with the man-advantage than Anaheim. This evening, however, could present some difficulties on that front for Randy Carlyle’s club.
Captain Ryan Getzlaf (lower-body injury) may not suit up for tonight’s matchup vs. visiting Detroit. Still, online sports book Bovada.lv gives the Ducks odds of -155 to come out on top. Conversely, the Red Wings enter the Honda Center as +135 underdogs.
Anaheim’s (19-12-8) longtime leader left Sunday’s shootout victory over Philadelphia in the third period. He boasts 30 points, including 13 of the power-play variety, through 35 contests. Collectively, only Columbus eclipses the Ducks’ extra-strength success rate of 24 percent.
Detroit (16-16-5) wishes it had just one notable skater on the shelf. Instead, the list of Motor City maladies keeps going and going. Forwards Justin Abdelkader and Darren Helm remain sidelined due to knee and shoulder concerns, respectively, while the defensive corps sorely misses Mike Green (upper body). The former All-Star hasn’t seen the ice since Dec. 17.
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With both John Gibson and Jared Coreau performing well in net, the stage is set for a low-scoring affair. Getzlaf’s possible absence certainly figures into such a thought process. Regardless of the availability of No 15, however, expect the Red Wings to fall to 9-7-2 away from Joe Louis Arena.
WEDNESDAY NHL FREE PICK: RED WINGS/DUCKS UNDER 5.5 GOALS