The Chicago Blackhawks visit the Detroit Red Wings on Thursday night, with puck drop set for 7:30 p.m. ET at Little Caesars Arena. On DraftKings Sportsbook, Detroit is a -162 favorite on the Moneyline, while the total is set at O/U 5.5 goals.
Below, I’ll break down the matchup and provide my top Red Wings vs. Blackhawks prediction and best bet.
Red Wings vs. Blackhawks Odds
| Market | Chicago Blackhawks | Detroit Red Wings |
|---|---|---|
| Moneyline | +136 | -162 |
| Puck Line | +1.5 (-192) | -1.5 (+160) |
| Total | Over 5.5 (-122) | Under 5.5 (+102) |
Red Wings vs. Blackhawks Betting Preview
Detroit Red Wings Outlook
Detroit has made a habit of playing long nights, with five of its 12 games having gone past regulation, four of them to a shootout. And of course, it enters tonight coming off a 4-3 shootout win in Edmonton on Monday. At 5-4-3, Detroit has been better than its record at even strength. Its 54.0% 5v5 Corsi% ranks seventh, its 2.13 xGoals against per 60 at 5v5 are the sixth-fewest in the NHL, and only two teams have allowed fewer high-danger shots. Alex DeBrincat leads the club with 13 points and 44 shots, but the Red Wings will be without Dylan Larkin, and their 2.58 goals per game rank 26th.
John Gibson gets the start in net after going 3-4-1 with a 3.44 GAA and .867 SV%, and he has finished under a .900 SV% in six of his eight starts, with just two quality starts against three really bad starts. He allowed four goals on 25 shots in his last outing at Calgary on Oct. 24, and his -4.2 GSAx and SV% above expected rank 63rd and 56th, respectively, among 71 goalies. With Detroit’s penalty kill also sitting 30th at 65.9%, even Chicago’s power play could find some life.
Chicago Blackhawks Outlook
Chicago is 0-4-0 on the road and has been outscored 19-6 in those games, though it did snap a three-game skid with a 2-1 win over Los Angeles on Tuesday. The offense has been rather lackluster thus far, ranking 31st in goals per game (2.17), shots per game (21.8) and power-play percentage (10.3%). Plus, their 2.06 5v5 xGoals per 60 are the third-fewest in the league. Patrick Kane leads the team with eight points, seven of them assists, and Connor Bedard has six points in six games since making his season debut on Oct. 13, recording a point in five of them while centering the top line with Roman Kantserov and Teuvo Teravainen. Chicago has gone 3-3-0 with Bedard in the lineup, but there hasn’t been much of a turnaround underneath that record, as its 43.1% 5v5 Corsi% over its past 10 games still ranks 30th.
Spencer Knight is likely to start in goal after going 4-6-0 with a 3.23 GAA and .897 SV%. He has allowed three goals or more in eight of his 10 starts and turned in just four quality starts, and he has faced at least 32 shots in five of his 10 starts. His +1.0 GSAx ranks 27th of 71 goalies, so he hasn’t been a disaster, but he hasn’t been able to steal games for a team that leaves him exposed.
Red Wings vs. Blackhawks Prediction and Best Bet
The Blackhawks have allowed four goals or more in seven of their 12 games, including all four on the road, and they give up 30.3 shots per game, the sixth-most in the NHL. With Gibson in Detroit’s net, this one could get messier than the Red Wings’ 5v5 numbers suggest, so I’d rather back Detroit’s offense than fade Chicago’s. Larkin’s absence makes things stressful, but the Red Wings have scored four or more in three of their past five games, and Knight hasn’t been able to slow many teams down.
Best Bet: Red Wings Over 3.5 Team Total Goals (+120)
Advanced stats courtesy of MoneyPuck.
