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Minnesota Wild vs. Detroit Red Wings Free Picks & NHL Preview

Wild vs Red Wings NHL Spread/Handicapping

Headline: Wild Look to Erase Ugly History in Detroit – Take on Wings Friday Night

Two teams that revamped their rosters during the offseason meet in a Western Conference clash in Detroit on Friday night. For the Minnesota Wild – the revamp included the addition of two perennial All-Stars and the biggest two fish on the free-agent market. For the Detroit Red Wings, the revamp was by omission – two of their reliable starters retired and left a seemingly huge void on this franchise.

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Minnesota Wild (2-1-0-0) at Detroit Red Wings (1-2-0-0)
When: 7:30 PM ET, Friday, January 25, 2013
Where: Joe Louis Arena, Detroit, Michigan
Broadcast: NHLN-US, FS-N, FS-D+
Wild vs. Wings Betting Lines from Bovada
Minnesota Wild +1½ -260 +108 Ov 5½ +114
Detroit Red Wings -1½ +220 -119 Un 5½ -126

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The Minnesota Wild look like a different team already in this young season – don’t they? Zach Parise has been all that the team envisioned – he has had a tremendous effect on Dany Heatley who has scored three goals already in Minnesota’s three games. Ryan Suter has added an element of grit and stellar defensive play ahead of Niklas Backstom who may emerge this season as a top flight keeper.

The Wild have struggled against to score however – they are averaging just 2 goals per game thus far but they give up just 1.67 goals per game and they have allowed just 1 power play goal against so far.

It all adds up to the Wild becoming a complete team – better on defense with Ryan Suter in the mix, with Niklas Backstrom playing well and with a reliable offense that had been lacking in Minnesota. On Friday, they face a Detroit team that has struggled in all areas of the game and certainly appear ripe for the picking.

The Detroit Red Wings entered the season with some huge voids to fill. Nik Lidstrom and Tomas Holmstrom were huge cogs for an offense that has generated just 1.33 goals per game so far. The Wings are 0 for 15 on the power play – an area in which Lidstrom and Holmstrom excelled at during their stellar careers. [soliloquy id=”82219″]

Detroit figures to get Todd Bertuzzi back in the lineup Friday which should help to some extent.

Listrom’s replacement on the blue line Carlo Colaiacovo is out for a month with a shoulder injury and another defenseman Ian White will also miss Friday’s game leaving the Wings extremely thin on the blue line.

The Wings will need all hands on deck just to make the playoffs this season – at present most hands are with their families or rehabbing from injury!

That leaves Jimmy Howard to pick up the slack. He stopped 30 of 32 shots Tuesday night against Dallas but has looked shaky so far this season. He has a 3.65 goals against in two starts. However Detroit has outscored Minnesota 48-22 during a 9-0-3 home stretch that dates to December 2006.

Howard is 4-0-2 with a 1.81 goals-against average at home versus Minnesota.

Betting Prediction:

A few trends to consider:

• MIN are 2-11 in their last 13 vs. Central.
• MIN are 5-21 in their last 26 road games.
• Under is 6-2 in MIN last 8 vs. Central.
• Under is 8-2-1 in DET last 11 Fri. games.
• Under is 7-2-4 in DET last 13 overall.
• DET are 11-4 in their last 15 Fri. games.
• MIN are 5-15-1 in the last 21 meetings in Detroit.
• MIN are 10-29-3 in the last 42 meetings.

The Red Wings appear every bit like a team in decline – not much depth and an absolutely decimated defensive corp. Minnesota comes into Friday’s contest with a new sense of optimism and improved in every aspect of the game. Their miserable streak in Detroit ends and the Wings exit the game with more questions than answers.

Pick: Minnesota Wild +108

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.