Anaheim Ducks at Chicago Blackhawks Betting Preview
07 February 2023
The second half of the NHL season is underway, as every team had a bit of a break during the All-Star Game weekend. On Tuesday night, it will be the Chicago Blackhawks hosting the Anaheim Ducks, and both of these teams have struggled in a big way this season.
Anaheim comes into this game with just 38 points on the year, and they have really struggled to win games on the road. The Ducks did have a three-game winning streak just before the break, and they are hoping to get back to playing winning hockey.
Chicago has racked up just 34 points this season, but the plan for the Blackhawks was for them to struggle in a big way this season. The Blackhawks have their eyes on securing a top draft pick, as that’s the only way to turn this franchise around.
The Chicago Blackhawks are moneyline betting favorites at -132 over the Anaheim Ducks in this NHL matchup on Tuesday night.
Ducks Need Some Defense
If the Anaheim Ducks are going to be serious about winning games during the second half of the season, then they are going to have to play some defense. Anaheim is allowing over four goals per game this season, and that has put them behind early in games.
The penalty kill for Anaheim has killed off just 73 percent of penalties, and that unit must find a way to be more effective as well. Anaheim has also scored on the power play just 16 percent of the time, and special teams play must improve overall.
Trevor Zegras leads the team with 43 points on the year, and the Ducks are going to need to find other players to step up when they have the puck.
Blackhawks Need More Scoring
The Chicago Blackhawks have only scored 2.46 goals per game this season, and they have to find more offense as the year moves along. Chicago has scored on the power play 20 percent of the time, but they struggle in 5 on 5 action.
Patrick Kane might be playing in his final few games with the Blackhawks, and he leads the team with 25 assists. The Blackhawks are a team that can generate momentum in a hurry, but they just haven’t been consistent.
It’s been a revolving door in the blue paint for the Blackhawks this season, as they can’t seem to keep any of their top goaltenders healthy.
Ducks Defeat the Blackhawks
Anaheim has been a complete mess on defense all season long, but that’s not going to impact them much in this game. The Ducks aren’t facing a great offensive team, and that is going to allow them to stay in this game throughout the contest.
Chicago has been wildly inconsistent this season, but they are still a team that typically plays well in front of their home fans. The Blackhawks will score some goals in this game, but they just don’t have the goaltending that is needed to win on a consistent basis.
Bet the Anaheim Ducks over the Chicago Blackhawks in this battle of two of the worst teams in the NHL.
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All Media on this page by Associated Press.
