Welcome back to NHL Predictions. Each day, Last Word on Hockey reviews the scheduled games and offers insight and analysis to help predict who will win in head-to-head matchups. Today, we preview the Anaheim Ducks vs Detroit Red Wings. Check out more NHL Predictions as the 2024-25 season continues.
NHL Predictions
Anaheim Ducks vs Detroit Red Wings
Head to Head: Ducks 1 – o Red Wings
Time: 6:00 p.m. Eastern Standard Time (EST)
TV: FDSNDETX; Victory+; KCOP-13; ESPN+
The Ducks (25-24-6) will play the second game of back-to-backs when they take on the Red Wings (28-22-4) at Little Caesars Arena in Detroit, MI on February 23. This is the second of two meetings between the former playoff rivals. Anaheim took the first game on November 15, 6-4. The Red Wings are holding onto their wild card position by a thread, while the Ducks are looking to climb into a wild card spot.
Detroit Red Wings Look to Extend Hot Streak
The red-winged wheel is on a roll. The Red Wings are 7-1-2 in their last 10 games with some high-quality wins against teams like Edmonton, Tampa Bay, and Los Angeles. They will need to continue the hot streak as only five points separate the wild card teams and the first three teams outside the playoffs in the East. The Wings are led by a couple Four Nations standouts in Lucas Raymond (61 pts) and Dylan Larkin (52 pts). Don’t forget about Alex DeBrincat as well. Debrincat leads the team with four goals and an impressive nine points in their previous five games. Detroit is also receiving quality goaltending from the Cam Talbot – Alex Lyon tandem. Talbot played last night against the Wild, so expect Lyon to get the nod tonight. Lyon has a 2.68 goals against average and .904 save percentage this season.
Anaheim Ducks Aim to Stay Hot Too
This game will be a battle of two of the hottest teams in the league right now. The Ducks continued their hot streak from before the break and defeated the Bruins 3 – 2 in OT last night. The Ducks have won four in a row and are 7-3 in their last 10 games. With that, they are now seven points and three and a half games out of a playoff spot. While it’s impossible to point to one thing, the return of Trevor Zegras to the lineup seems to be a catalyst for the recent stretch of success. Leo Carlsson leads the Ducks with four assists and five points in their previous five games. Ducks fans will be happy to see the second-overall pick start to heat up.
One negative is John Gibson left the game against Boston early and seems to have suffered an upper-body injury. This is unfortunate for a number of reasons including how well he has been playing lately, and the value of his trade stock. The Ducks will hope it’s nothing serious and can return in short order. With that, expect Lukas Dostal to get the nod against Detroit. Dostal has a 2.86 goals against average and a .911 save percentage this season.
Prediction
The Ducks look to extend their win streak to five games, but they’ll have their hands full against a surging Red Wings squad. Expect Dylan Larkin to strike early for Detroit, capitalizing on their lethal power play, but Ryan Strome will respond with a slick feed to Troy Terry. With Lukas Dostal and Alex Lyon between the pipes, this one will stay tight late into the third. Lucas Raymond finds the back of the net off a feed from Patrick Kane late to seal a 2-1 win for the Red Wings, extending their impressive run toward the playoffs.
Prediction: Red Wings win 2-1
Prop Bets of the Night
We close out our NHL Predictions for the Ducks vs Red Wings with some of our preferred prop bets of the night. Take a look at Terry anytime goal (+270). Odds courtesy of FanDuel. Record this season (7-17).
Note: Always check the latest team news and player statuses before placing any bets, as injuries and other factors can influence game outcomes.
Main Photo: Gary A. Vasquez- Imagn Images
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