The Detroit Red Wings (36-30-7) make the 4th stop on a 5-game road trip Saturday afternoon against the Florida Panthers (46-22-5) at Amerant Bank Arena. Puck drop is scheduled for 12:30 p.m. ET (NHL Network). Below, we analyze BetMGM Sportsbook’s lines around the Red Wings vs. Panthers odds, and make our expert NHL picks and predictions.
Season series: Panthers lead 2-1
The Red Wings were blanked 4-0 in Carolina Thursday, and Detroit has been shut out in 2 of the past 3 outings. Detroit is just 3-10-1 in the past 14 games, picking up just 7 out of a possible 28 points.
Detroit finds itself 2 points back of the Washington Capitals for the final Wild Card spot in the Eastern Conference with 9 games to play, with the Caps having a game in hand.
The road team has won all 3 meetings this season and each of the past 5 in the series. The Under is 3-0 this season and 5-1 in the past 6 meetings.
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Red Wings at Panthers odds
Provided by BetMGM Sportsbook; access USA TODAY Sports Scores and Sports Betting Odds hub for a full list. Lines last updated at 12:30 a.m. ET.
- Moneyline (ML): Red Wings +190 (bet $100 to win $190) | Panthers -250 (bet $250 to win $100)
- Puck line (PL)/Against the spread (ATS): Red Wings +1.5 (-130) | Panthers -1.5 (+105)
- Over/Under: 6 (O: -115 | U: -105)
Red Wings at Panthers projected goalies
Alex Lyon (18-16-3, 3.07 GAA, .904 SV%, 2 SO) vs. Sergei Bobrovsky (32-16-3, 2.41 GAA, .914 SV%, 4 SO)
Lyon is confirmed to start as he tries to snap out of his month-long funk. He allowed 4 goals on 30 shots last time out in a crucial 4-3 OT loss at Washington Tuesday. He is just 0-7-1 with a 4.38 GAA and .874 SV% in 8 starts in March, including a 33-save effort in a 4-0 loss against Florida March 2.
Bobrovsky conceded 4 goals on just 21 shots in a 4-3 loss against the visiting Boston Bruins Tuesday. He is 3-5-1 with a 2.68 GAA and .904 SV% with 1 SO in 9 starts in March. He turned aside all 21 shots he faced in a 4-0 win in Detroit in the most recent meeting March 2.
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Red Wings at Panthers picks and predictions
Prediction
Panthers 5, Red Wings 2
Moneyline
The Panthers (-250) will cost you 2½ times your potential return, and that’s way too much risk for not nearly enough reward. Even as part of a multi-team parlay, there is just too much risk, and including Florida sucks all of the value out of your ticket.
PASS, and look to the puck line instead.
Puck line/Against the spread
The PANTHERS -1.5 (+105) are a better play at plus-money on the puck line. Even though the road team has won 5 straight meetings in the series dating back to Jan. 6, 2023, Florida is just a better hockey team, while the Red Wings +1.5 (-130) have been a disaster.
The Cats are just 1-5-1 in the past 7 games, although most of the setbacks are against teams likely headed to the postseason. The Red Wings have been shut out twice in the past 3 games, and they’ve lost to a lot of teams they should have beaten. While neither side has been hot, at least Florida has been competitive.
Over/Under
OVER 6 (-115) is worth playing lightly. Lyon is winless in March, and he has been very giving, coughing up 4 or more goals in 6 of his 8 starts.
The Red Wings have been shut out twice in the past 3 games, but the Over is still 4-2 in the past 6 contests. That’s because Detroit goaltending has allowed 21 goals in the past 6 games, or 3.5 goals per game (GPG). The Red Wings have allowed 3 or more goals in 13 of the past 15 contests, too.
Florida’s offense has managed 3 GPG in the past 4 outings, splitting the Over/Under in those Games. Lean Over, but go with a half-unit at best.
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