I'm happy for another NHL season to be underway and hope everyone else is as well! Below is my first forum posted pick for the season, so I'm 0-0-0 as of now. Feel free to share your thoughts and BOL everyone!
=======================
Detroit Red Wings @ Anaheim Ducks
My Pick: Anaheim Ducks -1.5 (+140) - L
Anaheim is 7-3 SU their previous 10 matchups against Detroit (3 games won by 2+ goals)
Anaheim is 4-1 SU their previous 5 home matchups against Detroit (2 games won by 2+ goals)
Anaheim Previous Regular Season Games
12-2 SU their previous 16 games (8 games won by 2+ goals)
10-1 SU their previous 11 at home (8 games won by 2+ goals)
10-0 SU their previous 10 at home versus Eastern conference teams (8 games won by 2+ goals)
5-2 SU their previous 7 at home versus Atlantic division teams (4 games won by 2+ goals)
3-0 SU their previous 3 games versus teams below .500 (2 games won by 2+ goals)
Detroit Previous Regular Season Games
3-7 SU their previous 10 games (1 loss by 2+ goals)
1-13 SU their previous 14 on the road (7 loses by 2+ goals)
0-8 SU their previous 8 on the road versus Western conference teams (6 loses by 2+ goals)
0-5 SU their previous 5 on the road versus Pacific division teams (5 loses by 2+ goals)
3-7 SU the tail end of their last 10 back-to-backs (1 loss by 2+ goals)
John Gibson will be starting at goalie for Anaheim and he's coming off a nice shutout game against Arizona to go with another win in his only other start this season against San Jose. That makes him 2-0 so far and both of those games were played on the road. He's only allowed 2 goals (both came against San Jose) and tonight he draws a favorable home ice matchup versus the Red Wings who are playing the tail end of a back-to-back after losing to the Kings last night. Last season against the Red Wings Gibson managed to hold them to just 2 goals in each game, both home and away. Detroit is also bound to be a little thin on defense with several of their defensive players set to miss this game. Mike Green, Trevor Daley, and Jonathan Ericsson have already ruled out while Niklas Kronwall is still questionable..
On the other side it'll be Jimmy Howard between the pipes for Detroit. He's coming off a decent game against the Blue Jackets, but still managed to allow 3 goals on just 39 shots against as the Red Wings lost that game 3-2 in overtime. In his games against Anaheim last season we saw Howard give up 4 & 1 goals against with the 4 goal game coming in Anaheim and the 1 goal game coming in Detroit. Even with the Ducks being down a few centers and wings tonight (Ryan Getzlaf, Ondrej Kase, Patrick Eaves, and Corey Perry are all OUT), I still think this figures to be a tough matchup for Howard..
Anaheim has kept things going right where they left off last year, sitting 2-0 and at the top of the Pacific division. Of the last 16 times they've played Detroit at home and won, 12 of those ended with Anaheim winning by 2+ goals. Take into count the defensive players missing for Detroit and the fact that they're now playing a back-to-back, I can't help but think Anaheim should be able to cover the puck line tonight.