Avs vs. Wings NHL Spread/Handicapping
Bounce- Back Minded Red Wings Host Struggling Avalanche Monday
The Detroit Red Wings will look to put forth a better effort than we saw against Chicago Sunday – a humiliating 7-1 home loss to the Chicago Blackhawks when they take on the Colorado Avalanche. The Wings had looked good before two straight losses while the Avalanche won last time out but are still just 2-8 in their last 10 games.
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Colorado Avalanche (12-18-3-1) at Detroit Red Wings (19-12-3-2)
When: 7:30 PM ET, Monday, April 1, 2013
Where: Joe Louis Arena, Detroit, Michigan
Broadcast: TSN2, NBCSN, FS-D
Avs vs. Wings Betting Lines from Sportsbook.ag
Colorado Avalanche +1½ -205 +152 Ov 5½ +114
Detroit Red Wings -1½ +175 -167 Un 5½ -126
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Monday marks the first of two meetings between the two clubs this week – Detroit won the only match between them this year – 2-1 back on March 5.
The Colorado Avalanche definitely have some pieces in place – they are not that far off from beings a competitive club. But the team can’t win on the road – 0-8-3 in their last 11 road games and they can’t seem to keep the puck out of their own goal. Seymon Varlamov got his third shutout of the season against Nashville Saturday but the team still surrenders and unflattering 3.15 goals per game.
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Varlamov has been feast or famine and Jean-Sebastien Guigere has been poor.
Colorado’s offense has been nothing to write home about this year – just 2.44 goals per game but PA Parenteau is currently one of the top 10 scorers in the NHL with 35 points. He has been very good as of late too with 6 points in four games but outside of that, there is nobody one could consider Hot at the moment.
Hopes are that Gabriel Landeskog, Matt Duchene and Ryan O`Reilly get their act together and realize the potential that this team has. The Avs will be without Paul Stastny and David Jones Monday which doesn`t help all that much.
The big news ahead of Monday`s game for Detroit is the status of Henrik Zetterberg and Mikael Samuelsson who are nursing injuries. They create enormous holes in the Wings lineup as seen in their 7-1 loss Sunday.[ad-4437448]
There are a number of Wings players that have gone ice cold as of late – Damien Brunner is pointless in three games, Valtteri Filppula is pointless in six games and Johan Ericsson hasn`t recorded a point in 12 straight games. Pavel Datsyuk can`t do it all!
Expect Jimmy Howard to get the nod in net for Detroit after getting pulled on Sunday. He is 0-2-0 with a 4.39 GAA and .844 save % age in his last two games. However Howard had a 1.59 goals-against average in the 13 games before the loss to Chicago and is 4-1-1 with a 2.31 GAA in six career home starts against Colorado.
Betting Prediction
A few trends to consider:
• COL are 2-8 in their last 10 overall.
• Over is 6-2-1 in COL last 9 overall.
• Over is 6-2-1 in COL last 9 vs. Western Conference.
• DET are 8-2 in their last 10 Mon. games.
• DET are 348-154-16 in their last 518 home games.
• Under is 9-4-2 in DET last 15 overall.
• Over is 6-2 in the last 8 meetings in Detroit.
• COL are 11-24 in the last 35 meetings.
It is hard to fathom the Detroit Red Wings delivering two straight home duds and I don’t think it will happen here. Colorado is awful on the road – no wins in their last 11! Add in the fact that the Wings have owned the Avs the past couple of seasons and this should be an easy pick. But with Henrik Zetterberg and Mikael Samuelsson are indeed out of Monday’s game it makes it a little more interesting – but I still think the better team wins.
Pick: Detroit Red Wings -167
