The Red Wings are hosting the Rangers tonight at Little Caesars Arena, with puck drop set for 7:00 p.m. ET. On DraftKings Sportsbook, the Red Wings are -125 home favorites on the Moneyline, and the game’s total is set at O/U 5.5 goals. Jonathan Quick and Cam Talbot are the expected starting goaltenders.
Below, I’ll provide a preview, prediction and pick for Friday’s tilt between the Red Wings and Rangers.
Detroit Red Wings vs. New York Rangers prediction, preview
Red Wings preview
Detroit will begin a four-game homestand after playing its last five games on the road and coming out on top in three of them. The club has three days’ rest and will turn to Cam Talbot between the pipes tonight. Talbot is 5-1-0 with a 2.76 GAA and .897 SV% and is coming off a 3-2 win over the Sharks on Nov. 2. Dylan Larkin leads the team in points (18), with Alex DeBrincat (15) and Lucas Raymond (12) rounding out the top three. DeBrincat and Raymond have seven points and six points, respectively, across Detroit’s last five games.
Despite a strong 9-5-0 start to the season and 5-1-0 at home, the Red Wings have been a very middling club. Detroit ranks 19th in goals per 60 and 13th in goals against per 60. At even strength, they rank 23rd in goals per 60. It’s been an up-and-down start but the club has still done enough to secure wins, likely due to ranking inside the top 10 in both PP% and PK%.
Rangers preview
New York enters tonight’s matchup having won three of its last four games, but this club has struggled. The Rangers have been shut out four times already this season and are tied for last place in the Eastern Conference with a 6-6-2 record. The club will turn to 39-year-old Jonathan Quick, who has been used sparingly but has played like his vintage self across three starts. Quick is 2-1-0 with a 1.35 GAA and .941 SV%. The Rangers’ big guns, Artemi Panarin, Mika Zibanejad and J.T. Miller, have been quiet lately, totaling a combined three points across the last five games.
Luckily for the Rangers, they’ll be playing on the road tonight, where they have gone 6-1-1 this season. The Rangers’ home/road splits are eye-opening, with the club averaging just 1.00 goals per game at home but 3.13 when playing on the road. The elite goaltending has balanced out the offensive struggles, however. The club ranks dead last in goals per 60 but second-best in goals against per 60. Positive regression is almost certainly coming for New York soon, as it ranks third in 5v5 xGoals% and eighth in 5v5 Corsi%, but third-worst in 5v5 goals per 60.
Red Wings vs. Rangers pick, best bet
The Red Wings have been great at home, and the Rangers have been great on the road. While Cam Talbot has a bit of an up-and-down season, the defense and special teams make it easy for him. The Rangers play much better on the road, and Quick has been elite in limited appearances. If I had to pick a straight-up winner, I’d probably roll with the Red Wings. But, I like the under at plus money more. 31% of the money and 32% of the bets lie with the under, and nothing gets your blood flowing like fading the public. These teams pride themselves on strong goaltending and defense, and the quality scoring chances should be limited.
