NHL on NBC betting: Detroit at Chicago
Detroit Red Wings at Chicago Blackhawks (-170, 5.5)
The Detroit Red Wings visit the Chicago Blackhawks for an Original Six showdown as the NHL on NBC returns from the Olympic break Sunday.
Chicago is challenging the Capitals and Sharks for first place in the NHL standings and is threatening to end its 49-year Stanley Cup drought. Detroit, which has reached the Cup final each of the past two years, is in a dogfight with several other teams for the eighth and final playoff spot in the Western Conference.
Payback time
After being dominated by their Central Division rivals for many seasons, the Blackhawks are evening the score this year. Chicago has defeated Detroit in all three meetings in the 2009-10 campaign, shutting out the Wings twice.
In the most recent matchup between the clubs, Patrick Sharp scored the shootout winner as the Blackhawks prevailed 4-3 in Detroit on January 17.
Chicago forward Patrick Kane isn't ready to talk trash quite yet, though.
"It's one of those situations where I still think they're the team to beat until proven otherwise in the playoffs," Kane said after the last meeting between the clubs. "They've proven that the last couple of years."
Injury report
For the first time all season, the Red Wings are finally healthy. Johan Franzen, Tomas Holmstrom, Andreas Lilja, Niklas Kronwall and Valtteri Filppula are back in the lineup after missing much of the year.
"We have the makings of a real good team," Detroit coach Mike Babcock told reporters. "Now, we have to play like a real good team each and every night to get ourselves into the (playoffs)."
Chicago is nearly at full strength itself, with only winger Adam Burish listed on its injury report.
Streak on the line
The Red Wings' streak of 18 straight postseason appearances ? the longest streak in sports - is in jeopardy this year. But Detroit captain Nicklas Lidstrom feels his team will not only make the playoffs, they can also make some noise.
"I'm real confident in our chances," he told the media. "As long as you get in, you've got a chance to do anything in the NHL playoffs. We've seen that upsets do happen because, from top to bottom, teams are so close."
Goalie Jimmy Howard, who has replaced Chris Osgood as the Wings' No. 1 man, also believes in his team.
"Our leadership is second to none and that's why we didn't panic when things didn't look so good and that's why we're in a position to make a push now," Howard told the press. "The rest during the Olympics couldn't have come at a better time for some guys and for other guys, the Olympics gave them some more playing time to come back from their injuries."
Huet's the man
Though the Blackhawks rank second in the league in goals against, critics aren't sold on their goaltending tandem of Cristobal Huet and Antti Niemi. Neither netminder has won a playoff series in their career.
Chicago general manager Stan Bowman seems confident in the duo. Bowman chose not to acquire another goaltender at the NHL trade deadline.
It appears Huet, who is 25-12-4, will be given the bulk of the playing time down the stretch and in the postseason.
"We're going to rely on him to take control here," Hawks coach Joel Quenneville said. "We'll definitely be riding one guy in the playoffs."
Trends
Chicago is 14-3 in its last 17 games against division opponents, 19-7 in its last 26 against the Western Conference and 8-1 in its last nine Sunday contests.
Detroit is 3-8 in its last 11 games on the road and has lost six of its last seven games when coming off a victory.
The Blackhawks have gone over the total in their last four home games and last six games overall, while the Wings are 32-15-4 to the under when they've won their previous outing.
Detroit Red Wings at Chicago Blackhawks (-170, 5.5)
The Detroit Red Wings visit the Chicago Blackhawks for an Original Six showdown as the NHL on NBC returns from the Olympic break Sunday.
Chicago is challenging the Capitals and Sharks for first place in the NHL standings and is threatening to end its 49-year Stanley Cup drought. Detroit, which has reached the Cup final each of the past two years, is in a dogfight with several other teams for the eighth and final playoff spot in the Western Conference.
Payback time
After being dominated by their Central Division rivals for many seasons, the Blackhawks are evening the score this year. Chicago has defeated Detroit in all three meetings in the 2009-10 campaign, shutting out the Wings twice.
In the most recent matchup between the clubs, Patrick Sharp scored the shootout winner as the Blackhawks prevailed 4-3 in Detroit on January 17.
Chicago forward Patrick Kane isn't ready to talk trash quite yet, though.
"It's one of those situations where I still think they're the team to beat until proven otherwise in the playoffs," Kane said after the last meeting between the clubs. "They've proven that the last couple of years."
Injury report
For the first time all season, the Red Wings are finally healthy. Johan Franzen, Tomas Holmstrom, Andreas Lilja, Niklas Kronwall and Valtteri Filppula are back in the lineup after missing much of the year.
"We have the makings of a real good team," Detroit coach Mike Babcock told reporters. "Now, we have to play like a real good team each and every night to get ourselves into the (playoffs)."
Chicago is nearly at full strength itself, with only winger Adam Burish listed on its injury report.
Streak on the line
The Red Wings' streak of 18 straight postseason appearances ? the longest streak in sports - is in jeopardy this year. But Detroit captain Nicklas Lidstrom feels his team will not only make the playoffs, they can also make some noise.
"I'm real confident in our chances," he told the media. "As long as you get in, you've got a chance to do anything in the NHL playoffs. We've seen that upsets do happen because, from top to bottom, teams are so close."
Goalie Jimmy Howard, who has replaced Chris Osgood as the Wings' No. 1 man, also believes in his team.
"Our leadership is second to none and that's why we didn't panic when things didn't look so good and that's why we're in a position to make a push now," Howard told the press. "The rest during the Olympics couldn't have come at a better time for some guys and for other guys, the Olympics gave them some more playing time to come back from their injuries."
Huet's the man
Though the Blackhawks rank second in the league in goals against, critics aren't sold on their goaltending tandem of Cristobal Huet and Antti Niemi. Neither netminder has won a playoff series in their career.
Chicago general manager Stan Bowman seems confident in the duo. Bowman chose not to acquire another goaltender at the NHL trade deadline.
It appears Huet, who is 25-12-4, will be given the bulk of the playing time down the stretch and in the postseason.
"We're going to rely on him to take control here," Hawks coach Joel Quenneville said. "We'll definitely be riding one guy in the playoffs."
Trends
Chicago is 14-3 in its last 17 games against division opponents, 19-7 in its last 26 against the Western Conference and 8-1 in its last nine Sunday contests.
Detroit is 3-8 in its last 11 games on the road and has lost six of its last seven games when coming off a victory.
The Blackhawks have gone over the total in their last four home games and last six games overall, while the Wings are 32-15-4 to the under when they've won their previous outing.
