Amazingly, this far into the season, the Detroit Red Wings are out of the playoffs. Usually by this time they are either at the top or near the top of the Western Conference, and before Chicago became a legit team, they usually had their division wrapped up by now. Instead, this year’s Red Wings sit 9th in the conference, tied with Calgary for points but behind them in the standings because of one less win. Injuries have been a factor of course. Henrik Zetterberg, Pavel Datsyuk, Johan Franzen and Nik Kronwall have all missed significant time because of injuries. Inconsistent goaltending has been an issue as well. But whatever the reason, it’s just strange to see Detroit this low in the standings. Conversely, it’s equally strange for online betting to see the Phoenix Coyotes in a playoff position after the midseason mark. The Coyotes were left for dead before the season even started but have been one of the NHL’s most pleasant surprises. NHL commissioner Gary Bettman is undoubtedly happy with Phoenix’s success off the ice, but is probably still worried about its off-ice situation. The team, although on the verge of being officially sold, is expected to lose $50 million dollars this season, and their last home game attendance stood at a paltry 9,142 fans.
Coyotes vs. Red Wings betting odds: Red Wings -160
-Coyotes are 10-10-3 on road this season; Detroit 14-7-3 at home
-Red Wings goaltender Jimmy Howard 2-0 vs. Phoenix this season, with 1.50 GAA, .964 S%
-Detroit 2-3-2 in last seven games
NHL betting vets know the Coyotes are slowly fading back to Earth. After their unexpected hot start Phoenix has cooled down, especially in the New Year. They sport an uninspiring 4-5-1 record in 2010, including losing four of their five on the road. That’s not a good sign considering seven of their next eleven games before the Olympic Break are away from the JoBing.com Arena. They sit 5th place in the Western Conference with 63 points, only five points ahead of ninth place Detroit.
The shaky play of Phoenix netminder Ilya Bryzgalov has been one of the reasons for the Coyotes recent struggles. Bryzgalov, when on, is still one of the best in the league. His 26-14-7 record, 2.33 goals against average, .918 save percentage and Western Conference-best 5 shutouts are evident of that. But Bryzgalov recently hasn’t inspired much faith. He has allowed three or more goals in eight of his last nine starts. He hasn’t been too hot on the road, either. In his last eight starts away from the desert, the Russian goalie owns a 2-4-2 record and allowed more than three goals in each of them. He’s also 0-2 vs. Detroit this season.
However, there is optimism to be found for Phoenix fans. When factoring in OT losses as regular losses, the Coyotes still sit above .500 (29-23). To simply be in a playoff spot this late in the season is a testament to outstanding coaching and great leadership from the veterans who simply refused to give up.
It’s easy for the Red Wings to blame injuries for their troubles, and their supporters will not hesitate to do so. It’s a legit concern. No team can lose players like Zetterberg, Datsyuk and Kronwall and expect to be ok; not even teams as deeply talented as Detroit. For a team as offensively stacked as Detroit if the team’s leading scorer after 51 games is Todd Bertuzzi (15 goals), there is something wrong. Still, their troubles go beyond a crowded IR list. The team has had trouble keeping leads, especially recently. In four of their last five games, the Red Wings have blown a lead in the third period. The only time they didn’t was a 4-3 shootout loss to Chicago last Sunday. Sportsbook odds know they have lost four of those five games, their only win a shootout victory over Minnesota in which they blew a 2-goal lead in the final frame. Their lack of finish has hurt them in the playoff race. On Saturday, the Wings had a two-goal lead over the Kings; a victory would have vaulted them into 7th place in the Conference. Instead, they blew the lead and sit on the outside looking in on the playoff picture.
DON’S PICK: The Red Wings IR list should shrink soon, as both Kronwall and Tomas Holmstrom are expected to be back soon. But until then, the Coyotes are the better team.
Coyotes vs. Red Wings Betting Pick: Coyotes +140
