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2014 Winter Classic Maple Leafs vs. Red Wings Picks & NHL Preview

Maple Leafs vs Red Wings NHL Line & Handicapping

Bridgestone Winter Classic Could Be…. A Classic

Two Original Six teams in the NHL and two teams fighting to remain in the playoff hunt in the NHL’s Eastern Conference meet in front of 107,000 fans at the Big House in Ann Arbour Michigan Wednesday afternoon in the latest installment of the NHLs schedule of outdoor games.

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Toronto (20-16-1-4) at Detroit (18-14-3-6)
When: 1:00 PM ET, Wednesday, January 1, 2014
Where: Michigan Stadium, Ann Arbor, Michigan
Broadcast: CBC, NBC, RDS
Leafs vs. Wings Betting Lines from betonline.com
Toronto Maple Leafs +1½ -260 +119 Ov 5 -131
Detroit Red Wings -1½ +220 -131 Un 5 +119
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Both teams enter Wednesday`s action tied for seventh in the Eastern Conference standing – a conference in which every single point could make the difference between making or missing the playoffs. Snowy conditions are expected in Detroit Wednesday to add intrigue to what is already a very captivating event.

The Toronto Maple Leafs enter the Winter Classic playing OK – two straight wins after stumbling badly in December. Overall in the last 10 games the Leafs are just 4-4-2 and sit in seventh in the East – tied with Detroit at the half way mark of the season.

The Leafs continue to get outshot in games – they are on pace to become the worst team ever in the NHL in shots allowed per game with 32.6. The problem with that is that they don`t generate a whole lot of shots themselves – 27th in the league averaging 27.4 per game. Needless to say goaltending has been the story for Toronto this year – without a strong Jonathan Bernier and James Reimer, the Leafs wouldn`t be in the playoff conversation altogether.

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Bernier should get the start in Mo-town. He is 2-0-2 in his last four starts with a 1.79 GAA and terrific .952 save percentage. The Leafs as a team are 17th in the league in goals against – 2.8 goals per game- not bad considering the shots that they are giving up.

Offensively the Leafs have been just OK this year – 14th in the NHL averaging 2.7 goals per game. Phil Kessel has been very good again leading the team in goals (20) and points (37). He is an elite guy who has been carrying the league`s 5th ranked power play all season long. Kessel has four points in his last two games while Cody Franson, newly re-signed Dion Phaneuf, and James van Reimsdyk each have two points in their last two games. But Nik Kulemin has just two points in seven games, Mason Raymond has one point in five games and Joffrey Lupul is pointless in his last three.

The Detroit Red Wings are almost healthy – almost! After a season in which they saw Henrik Zetterberg, Pavel Datsyuk, Stephen Weiss, Johan Franzen, Jimmy Howard, Danny DeKeyser, Jonathan Ericsson, Todd Bertuzzi and Darren Helm all miss time, almost everyone is back.
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There is some good and some bad with the return of their starters. Jimmy Howard played awful Monday night allowing 6 goals in a loss and before his injury he was equally disappointing. He is 6-9-0 on the season with a 2.76 GAA and OK .906 save percentage. Jonas Gustaffson went 11-3-2 in Howard`s absence but is himself nursing an injury. The Wings are middle-of-the-pack in terms of goals against (2.7) and need Howard to step up to be the elite guy he is being paid as.

Offensively the Wings are also just an average club. Pavel Datsyuk lead the club with 15 goals and Henrik Zetterberg is the points leader with 33. But neither is particularly hot at the moment – both are coming off injury and battling their way back into shape. Datsyuk has two goals and six assists in his nine games since getting back in the lineup from his concussion, Nik Kronwall has three points in his last two games and Kyle Quincey has two points in his last two outing – that`s it for the Ho List in Detroit.

On the flip side Dan Cleary is pointless in his last five games, Todd Bertuzzi is pointless in nine and Tomas Tatar has just two points in his last 11 games.

Dave’s FREE NHL Winter Classic Betting Prediction

A few trends to consider:

• TOR are 1-10 in their last 11 road games.
• Over is 7-1 in TOR last 8 games following a win.
• TOR are 2-7 in their last 9 Wed. games.
• Under is 7-2 in DET last 9 vs. Eastern Conference.
• DET are 2-6 in their last 8 vs. Eastern Conference.
• DET are 3-8 in their last 11 overall.
• Home team is 7-2 in the last 9 meetings

Neither team is blowing anybody out of the water right now and neither will really have a “home ice“ advantage Wednesday. If goaltending was the only criteria I would pick Toronto hands down but the Leafs lack of defense and their inability to stop pucks from getting through to their net will be the difference. Jimmy Howard won’t have to be spectacular – just good. I think he can manage that.

Pick: Detroit Red Wings -131

By DaveB

Dave B has been a Fantasy Football writer for us for 10 years. A couch potato wannabe, Dave’s insights have been read by 10’s of people for years. He hope’s for world peace + global relaxation. Enjoy and remember only smoke things that are completely natural.