The Detroit Red Wings have been perennial contenders in the Western conference over the past decade. The St. Louis Blues are trying to lay the foundation for similar success. When the Blues travel to Detroit this Monday, it will be a battle of two of the top teams in the conference, as St. Louis has climbed to second in the Central division, just one point back of the first-place Red Wings. New head coach Ken Hitchcock has preached fundamentals and responsibility, and the result has been a turnaround that has the Blues contending for a playoff spot in the west.
St. Louis Blues @ Detroit Red Wings
Monday January 23, 2011 – 7:30 PM ET
Joe Louis Arena, Detroit, Michigan
NHL Sports Betting Line: Detroit Red Wings – 130
The tandem of Jaroslav Halak and Brian Elliott have been crucial to St. Louis’ success, the same way that Jimmy Howard has emerged as one of the top goaltenders in the league for Detroit. All three netminders rank in the top-six in the NHL in GAA, so expect this to be a hard-fought game centered around solid play in each team’s own end.
Blues Red Wings Betting Preview: St. Louis Blues
For as good as the Blues have been over the past two months, there is no denying they are still considered the sportsbook review underdogs when matched up against Detroit, which still remain the team to beat from the Central division. But St. Louis deserves credit as one of the top contenders, and as long as Elliott and Halak are at the top of their game there is no denying that they can pull off the upset. David Backes leads a young group of forwards that are hungry to prove they can get it done, and with Hitchcock now there to get the most out of the talent at his disposal, the Blues have come alive.
Blues Red Wings Betting Preview: Detroit Red Wings
The Red Wings have been doing this for a long time, and have been absolutely dominant at home with an 18-2-1 record at the Joe Louis Arena. Detroit has the talent and depth to roll three lines that can get the job done at both ends of the ice, with a mix of speed and size that few teams have. Pavel Datsyuk leads the Red Wings with 51 points, including 38 assists, and has played the role of playmaker on a line with Johan Franzen, who leads the Red Wings with 18 goals. The one area where Detroit can stand to improve may be its penalty kill, but the truth about that is if they stay disciplined and avoid penalties they won’t have to worry about being down a man.
Blues Red Wings Betting Preview: Outlook & Pick
The sportsbook favorites should be comfortable on home ice in this one, even against a hungry St. Louis team. While the Blues have made major progress to develop in to a contender over the past couple of months, they will still struggle to keep up with a powerhouse team like Detroit.
Blues Red Wings Betting Pick: Detroit Red Wings