It’s the second leg of the “Battle of Alberta” series as the Detroit Red Wings are slated to take on the Calgary Flames on home ice. After falling to the Edmonton Oilers on home ice on Tuesday, they get another chance to best an Alberta team.
The Flames are in town, and the Detroit Red Wings are looking to right the ship after a tough loss to start the second half of the season. It was a physical contest with plenty of extracurriculars after the whistle.
But, against the Flames, the Red Wings will be able to aim for a bounce-back game, getting things going. The second period continues to be a problem for the Red Wings, which was the case again in Tuesday’s loss.
The Red Wings could be heading into a downward spiral if things do not get off to a good start, but the Flames are trying to stay alive in the playoff race as they are in a wildcard spot as things stand in the Western Conference & Pacific Division.
Detroit Red Wings game information and prediction vs. Flames
Jonathan Huberdeau, Elias Lindholm, Andrew Mangipane & Michael Backlund will lead the Flames’ offensive efforts. The team is without Nazem Kadri, who was injured in the team’s first contest after the break.
Rasmus Andersson will provide some shots from the point and be the team’s top defender, with Noah Hanifin also being a source of offense from the blue line. Bruce Sutter and his squad are going to hope that Jacob Markstrom has a solid game in the net and can keep the Flames in this one.
Game: Detroit Red Wings (21-20-8) v.s. Calgary Flames (24-17-10)
When: Thursday, February 9th
Time: 7:00 PM ET
Where: Little Caesars Arena
Where to Watch: Bally Sports Detroit
Odds: According to DraftKings, the Calgary Flames are the favorite on the Moneyline with a -150 payout. The Red Wings have a +130 payout on the Moneyline. On the other hand, the Red Wings are the favorite on the Puck Line, with a -195 payout at +1.5. Calgary has a +165 payout at -1.5 on the Puck Line. The over/under is set at 6.0, with the over being at -115 and the under being at -105.
Prediction: As the Red Wings get prepped for their matchup with the Flames, they will have to come out and execute as well as they did against Edmonton. While they did lose, they looked good to start the game. Cleaning up their second-period play would be a start, as it always seems to feel like the team falls behind in the second frame.
But this feels like a game where the Red Wings should be looking to come out and set the tone. Another good first-period showing could be the key to a victory against Calgary. For that reason, I’m going with the Red Wings on the upset. I like Red Wings Moneyline and the over in this one.
Game odds refresh periodically and are subject to change.