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Ottawa Senators vs Detroit Red Wings December 5th 2024
Looking to win big? The Red Wings and Senators face off at 7:00 ET on ESPN+. The Senators are hosting the game at Canadian Tire Centre in Ottawa, ON. The over/under for this Atlantic division contest is set at 6.5 goals, with the Senators being favored by -1.5 at home against the Red Wings.
Detroit vs. Ottawa Key Information
- Teams: Red Wings at Senators
- Where: Canadian Tire Centre Ottawa
- Date: Thursday, December 5th
- Betting Odds OTT -173 | DET +146 O/U 6.5
The Red Wings Can Win If…
Detroit improved to 10-13-4 with a 2-1 win over the Sabres. The Red Wings were favored on the puck line, but failed to cover. The total was set at 6.5 goals, and the combined score of 3 fell short of that mark.
After giving up a goal in the first period, Detroit responded with two goals in the second. Dylan Larkin scored both goals for the Red Wings, bringing them back from a 1-0 deficit.
Dylan Larkin provided all the offense for the Red Wings in their 2-1 win over Buffalo, netting his 6th and 7th goals of the season. Larkin’s first goal came 7:49 into the second period, followed by another at the 14:38 mark. The Red Wings took 23 shots on goal.
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Both of Larkin’s goals came on the power play. Patrick Kane picked up his 6th assist on Larkin’s first goal, while Alex DeBrincat notched his 4th assist on the second. Lucas Raymond also contributed with his 10th assist of the season.
Defensively, the Red Wings will look to carry over their performance from their previous game, where they gave up just one goal to the Sabres. Cam Talbot stopped 31 shots, finishing with a 96.9% save percentage. The defense also recorded 4 takeaways, 11 hits, and 16 blocks. The only goal they allowed came in the first period, a short-handed tally from Alex Tuch.
- Across Detroit’s last three regular season games, their record sits at 0-3. Against the spread, they have a strong mark of 3-0 along with an over-under record of 2-1.
- Across Detroit’s last ten regular season games, their record sits at 3-7. The team’s record vs the puck line was just 7-3, in addition to an over-under mark of 5-5.
The Senators Can Win If…
The Senators picked up their 10th win of the season with a 3-0 victory over the Kraken. Ottawa, favored by -1.5 goals, covered the puck line. The total was set at 6.5 goals, but the combined score of 3 fell well short of that mark, moving the Senators to 10-13-2 on the season.
All three of Ottawa’s goals came from different players. Adam Gaudette opened the scoring at 14:32 in the first period. Brady Tkachuk added a goal in the second, and Tim Stützle sealed the win with an empty-netter in the third.
Ottawa’s offense netted three goals in their 3-0 win over Seattle, with Tim Stützle scoring his 6th of the season on an empty net. Adam Gaudette opened the scoring with his 7th goal, followed by Brady Tkachuk, who also notched his 7th.
The Senators took 23 shots on goal, with none of their goals coming on power plays. They recorded 11 giveaways and picked up 5 assists, including Tim Stützle’s 10th of the season on Tkachuk’s goal.
On the defensive side, Anton Forsberg posted a 22-save shutout with a 100% save percentage. The Senators’ defense also recorded 2 takeaways and 25 hits.
- Across Ottawa’s last three regular season games, their record sits at 1-2. Against the spread, Ottawa went 0-3 in these games and finished with an over-under mark of 3-0.
- Over their last ten regular season games, the Senators have gone 3-7 straight up. In these contests, the team went just 1-9 against the spread, while going 7-3 on the over-under.
The Lean
When making a moneyline pick, my choice is the Red Wings to come out with a win against the Senators while playing on the road. Considering the moneyline odds at +146, I’m placing my bet on the Red Wings to win outright.
Our projections have the Red Wings pulling out a win as the underdog. But if you’re not as bullish as we are on the Red Wings, we’d recommend at least getting a bet down on them to cover the puck line.
With an over/under line sitting at 6.5 goals, we like this game to surpass that mark and recommend getting a bet down on the over.
Red Wings, Sens Look to Put Recent Woes Behind Them
The Detroit Red Wings and Ottawa Senators, both struggling to find consistency, will square off Thursday night in Ottawa as each team looks to reverse its recent fortunes.
Red Wings Seeking Solutions
Detroit has struggled with close games lately, losing five straight contests by a single goal, including consecutive overtime defeats. Their latest came in a 3-2 loss to the Boston Bruins on Tuesday, despite holding a 2-1 lead in the third period.
The Red Wings’ penalty kill remains a glaring issue. Their 65.3 percent success rate is the worst in the NHL and threatens to set a league record for futility, surpassing the 68.2 percent of the 1979-80 Los Angeles Kings.
“Sometimes you just got to find a way,” said Tyler Motte, one of Detroit’s key penalty killers. “That’s what killing is all about: finding a way to get clears, get blocks.”
Detroit has found positives in Lucas Raymond’s play, with the forward scoring both goals against Boston. Coach Derek Lalonde, however, emphasized the need for his team to minimize mistakes.
“It’s frustrating because we are doing a lot of good things,” Lalonde said. “Points in six of the last eight is a pretty good pace, but we self-inflict (mistakes) at crucial moments.”
Injury woes have also plagued Detroit. Veteran star Patrick Kane has missed the last five games due to an upper-body injury, and the Red Wings are without their top two goaltenders, Cam Talbot (lower-body injury) and Alex Lyon (undisclosed injury). Ville Husso, recently recalled from AHL Grand Rapids, made 32 saves on Tuesday, with Sebastian Cossa serving as his backup.
Senators Looking for Breakthrough
The Senators enter the matchup after going 1-1-1 during a three-game California road trip, capped by a 4-3 shootout loss to the Anaheim Ducks on Sunday. Ottawa rallied from a goal down three times but ultimately fell short in the shootout.
Captain Brady Tkachuk scored twice in the loss and remains optimistic about his team’s outlook.
“At this point, all we care about is winning,” Tkachuk said. “We have full belief in this group that things are going to turn for us.”
Goaltender Linus Ullmark, who made 31 saves against Anaheim, praised his team’s resilience.
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“We didn’t break, we bent, and we came back and played a really good game,” Ullmark said. “We finished off on a good note and can bring this into our next game.”
Ottawa’s ability to stay competitive despite trailing multiple times reflects a team determined to turn the corner.
What to Watch
Both teams are eager to address their defensive lapses. Detroit’s penalty kill and Ottawa’s ability to prevent early deficits will be key factors. Injuries could also play a significant role, with the Red Wings missing critical players and the Senators relying on depth to stay afloat.
Recent Matchups
Detroit and Ottawa are meeting for the first time this season. The Senators took the season series 2-1 last year, including a decisive 6-1 victory in their most recent clash.
Thursday’s game offers both teams an opportunity to shift momentum, with two points vital for climbing the standings in a competitive Atlantic Division.
