The Anaheim Ducks face off against the Chicago Blackhawks in a battle of two struggling teams looking for momentum and getting their seasons back on track. One of them will come out with a couple of points, but which?
Here's our breakdown of the odds, analysis, and what we see as the best bet for Tuesday night's matchup at the United Center.
The Blackhawks enter this matchup as slight home favorites. The moneyline is at -150 for Chicago and +125 for Anaheim which means the bookmakers see this as a relatively close game.
The puck line has the Ducks as +1.5 (-205) underdogs, while the over/under is set at 5.5 goals. That’s on the lower end of the spread, so this isn’t looking like it’s going to be a high-scoring game.
Both teams have had a tough start to the season and they’re both looking to use tonight’s game as a spring pad.
Anaheim is 7-8-2 with 16 points after a road win against the Dallas Stars. This marked their third victory in 3 games so it would appear they’re starting to warm up a bit.
Despite this uptick, they’re scoring only a measly 2.44 goals per game and allowing 3.13. On the other side of the ice, Chicago is 6-11-1, having lost 4 of their last 5 games while managing just 2.33 goals per game and conceding 3.11.
Neither team is looking too good up to this point and both would really benefit from a win tonight.
Anaheim is definitely trending upward. Having beaten solid opponents like Dallas and Detroit recently, they’re starting to look like they’re on the right path.
Forward Troy Terry leads the charge with 12 points, while rookie Leo Carlsson has made a strong impact with his 5 goals. Goalie John Gibson, although limited in his starts this year, has shown he can be reliable as he’s boasting a .908 save percentage in his 2 appearances.
On top of that, the Ducks have been solid as road underdogs. They’ve won 3 of their last 4 games in this role. Their offense, while mostly inconsistent, is opportunistic, especially against teams struggling defensively like Chicago. We’re expecting them to make the most of the mistakes Chicago leaves for them.
The Blackhawks are leaning heavily on Connor Bedard, the league’s top prospect. He has 13 points (3 goals, 10 assists) and a team-high 54 shots on goal. While the team overall hasn’t been too great, at least he’s keeping the pressure on opponents.
Despite their poor form, Chicago's home ice gives them a slight edge in this game, where they’re 2-4-0 this season, which isn’t all that great.
Goalie Petr Mrazek has been steady between the pipes with a 2.79 GAA and .906 save percentage and will need to be sharp as a tack to contain Anaheim's improving attack.
The Blackhawks also have a stronger power play unit where they’re converting at 20%, compared to Anaheim’s 14.5%.
If Chicago can capitalize on their chances, they’ll have a path to victory and notch 2 more points.
Neither team is scoring at a high rate, and both have been inconsistent defensively.
While Chicago is listed as the favorite by the bookmakers, their recent struggles make it tough to back them with any amount of confidence. Anaheim, on the other hand, has shown a bit of resilience and is playing with more energy of late.
BettorsInsider pick: Anaheim Ducks (+125)
The Ducks definitely have the momentum heading into tonight, and their ability to perform as underdogs bodes well here. We’re expecting a close, low-scoring game, with the total likely staying under 5.5 goals, especially given both teams’ offensive inefficiencies. However, we also think that taking the under is a bit riskier than just taking the Ducks to take the win on the moneyline.