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Detroit Red Wings vs. L.A. Kings Free Picks & NHL Preview

Red Wings vs Kings NHL Spread/Handicapping

Headline: Streaking Kings Host Perennial Powers Detroit Wednesday Night

Rivalry Night on NBCSN features a pair of Western Conference contenders that have shrugged off pedestrian starts to once again stake their claims as two of the teams to beat.

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Detroit Red Wings (9-7-3-0) at Los Angeles Kings (9-6-1-1)
When: 10:00 PM ET, Wednesday, February 27, 2013
Where: Staples Center, Los Angeles, California
Broadcast: TSN2, NBCSN, FS-D
Wings vs. Kings Betting Lines from Bovada
Detroit Red Wings +1½ -240 +138 Ov 5 -114
Los Angeles Kings -1½ +200 -152 Un 5 +103

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The Detroit Red Wings, winners of two straight games visit the Defending Camps – the LA Kings who have won four straight ahead of Wednesday night’s showdown. Both teams are coming off very impressive wins – for the Wings it was an 8-3 drubbing of the Canucks Sunday and the Kings defeated the red hot Ducks 5-2 on Monday. Los Angeles will be looking to avenge a 3-2 loss in Detroit February 10.

The Detroit Red Wings were a struggling team at this point last week during a 0-3-2 stretch but 12 goals in their last two games has allowed them to win both and get back to looking like the team that we all know. Detroit’s offense as a whole has been good this season – the team has scored an average of 2.95 goals per game.

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Red Wings defenseman Niklas Kronwall has back-to-back three-point games, totaling one goal and five assists. Daniel Cleary has four goals in as many games and Damien Brunner has scored four of his team-leading 10 goals in the last five contests.

Detroit is clicking offensively at the moment but has been prone to slumps already this year. Look no further than the power play which has gone 4 of 7 in the last two games after going 1 for 17 in the previous five.

Defensively, the Wings have been up and down just like the offense. Jimmy Howard went 0-2-1 with a 4.08 GAA during Detroit’s winless streak but he has bounced back with a shutout Saturday and three goals against versus the Canucks Sunday. He’s won three of four versus Los Angeles, though the loss came at Staples Center by a 5-2 score March 13. [soliloquy id=”82219″]

The Los Angeles Kings are a pretty simple team to figure out – when they score they win, when they don’t they lose – just like any other team. Los Angeles was outscored 31-22 while starting 3-5-2, but has posted a 23-10 goal advantage in winning six of seven. Jeff Carter has goals in four straight games for the Kings, Dustin Brown has goals in three in a row and Anze Kopitar has a goal and five assists during a three-game points streak.

Kopitar has eight of his 10 assists in the last seven games, and has recorded six goals and five assists in his past nine against the Red Wings.

Defense has also been responsible for the Kings` latest surge. Jonathan Quick had struggled but looked good in a 24 save performance Monday against Anaheim. Quick is one of the best in the game but he also benefits from a solid defensive corp. that limits opponents chances with regularity.

The Kings have allowed more than one goal twice in their last seven overall including a 5-2 home win over Anaheim on Monday.

Betting Prediction

A few trends to consider:

• DET are 5-17 in their last 22 road games.
• Under is 10-3-2 in DET last 15 vs. Pacific.
• DET are 121-51-11 in their last 183 Wed. games.
• Under is 4-1-4 in LA last 9 overall.
• Under is 4-1-4 in LA last 9 vs. Western Conference.
• Under is 13-4-4 in LA last 21 Wed. games.
• DET are 37-16-2 in the last 55 meetings.

The oddsmakers love the Kings in this game but I am going with the road underdog. The Kings have been playing well for sure but a look at Detroit’s last game against Vancouver shows that the Wings are playing at an absolutely elite level. The Wings have a habit of bringing their best against the best and Wednesday will be no different.

Jimmy Howard has shaken a slump and could be the difference. In a low scoring close game take the Wings to pull off the “upset”.

Pick: Detroit Red Wings +138

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.