Red Wings vs Penguins

Detroit comes into Pittsburgh having won five of its last six and riding the momentum of a strong December, while the Penguins have stabilized with two straight wins after an eight-game winless skid, making the 110 price on the Red Wings more attractive than the -130 on the home side given current form. Detroit isn’t fully healthy with Patrick Kane still listed day-to-day and depth defender Shai Buium on IR, but their attack continues to run through Larkin, DeBrincat and J.T. Compher, all of whom have produced well historically against Pittsburgh, and their top-tier power play faces a Penguins penalty kill that sagged during that extended slump. Pittsburgh still leans heavily on Crosby, whose career numbers against Detroit are outstanding, and recent scoring outbursts from depth pieces like Justin Brazeau and Anthony Mantha plus home ice give the Pens a clear path, but they’re also missing Rickard Rakell and several depth forwards and defenders or just getting them back from injury, and they sit on the playoff bubble while Detroit holds a stronger record and special-teams edge. With the Red Wings already in a divisional lead, driving play well at five-on-five and getting steadier goaltending, I’ll side with Detroit on the moneyline at 110 and grade it a B, balancing solid value with the respect Crosby and home ice still command. Odds and availability are subject to change. This bet was made at 01/01/2026 09:35

Detroit’s 40-game profile of roughly 3.1 goals for and 3.2 against per night, combined with Pittsburgh’s recent 7-3 and 5-1 offensive outbursts, points toward a higher-event game than a 6.5 total and 105 price on the Over would suggest. The Red Wings’ power play has been one of the league’s most efficient, driven by Larkin, DeBrincat, Raymond and Seider, and even if Kane’s upper-body issue keeps him out or limits him, their pace and chance generation should translate against a Penguins team still patching its blue line. For Pittsburgh, even with Rakell sidelined and several depth pieces having spent time on IR, Crosby’s long-term production against Detroit, Malkin working his way back from his recent upper-body injury, and hot hands like Brazeau and Mantha give them enough scoring depth, while their defensive injuries and inconsistent goaltending mean they’re prone to trading chances more than coach Mike Sullivan would like. With both clubs trending toward high-danger games, special teams driving extra offense and the Pens needing to push tempo at home to stay in the Eastern wild-card race, I lean Over 6.5 at 105 and grade it a B-, acknowledging that a strong goaltending performance on either side could still drag this under the number. Odds and availability are subject to change. This bet was made at 01/01/2026 09:35

In a matchup these teams have already seen recently, with Detroit taking the season series 2-1 and needing an empty-netter to finish off a 4-2 win in their last meeting, grabbing the Red Wings at +1.5 on the puckline at -225 is an appealing way to ride their current surge while respecting Pittsburgh’s home-ice edge. Detroit has tightened up defensively behind John Gibson during its 5-1 stretch, with only one multi-goal regulation loss in that span, and even with Kane banged up they can roll three lines that drive play and make it tough for opponents to pull away, especially when backed by a power play that has been among the league’s best. The Penguins’ recent scoring spike is encouraging, but it’s come with some help from softer opponents, and with Rakell out following hand surgery plus injuries or recent absences for pieces like Caleb Jones, Blake Lizotte and others, they’re not built to consistently win by margin against a faster and deeper Detroit side currently sitting atop the Atlantic. Given the likelihood of a one-goal game between a surging road team and a still-flawed favorite fighting to stay in the playoff mix, I like Red Wings +1.5 (-225) and grade this puckline a B+, reflecting a high probability of cashing even if the true ceiling is capped by the heavy juice. Odds and availability are subject to change. This bet was made at 01/01/2026 09:35