NHL Hockey 3/26/10
Minnesota Wild (36-32-0-5)-Detroit Red Wings (37-23-4-9)

By Mark-Friday, March 26th 2010 7:30 PM EST
Line- Detroit -1.5 goals (Even)

Detroit comes in as winners of three straight and eight of their last ten on the strength of a solid attack and even better goal tending. Their 4-2 win over St Louis was indicative of a team that is clicking on all cylinders. Lost in the obvious was the Red Wings PK unit which killed another four minute PP, the second such in two games. Detroit's has now killed 28 straight by keeping shots on goal to a minimum as the Blues managed just one shot with four minutes on the advantage.

G Jimmy Howard has looked sharp and in notching his 30th win of the year over St Louis he needed to be as he faced 32 shots and stood tall in the third period when the Blues peppered him with 11. With his goal tending and the emergence of the Henrik Zetterberg, Valtteri Filppula and Todd Bertuzzi line the Red Wings are charging toward the finish line and the playoffs. This line was responsible for all Detroit's scoring for the second consecutive game and seemed to have meshed in just a handful of games together.

Minnesota kept their slim playoff hopes alive with their 4-3 win on the road versus Philadelphia. The problem is they have won five games over their last ten and need to win virtually all of them at this point. It all starts tonight against Detroit but they'll have to do it without Captain Mikko Koivu who suffered an undisclosed arm injury against the Flyers. Not what the doctor ordered for a team that already has a significant list of injuries.

Injuries have led to no less than 12 minor league call ups which is always a wildcard as nobody knows if minor league success translates into success with an NHL club and Minnesota is well aware. The constant injuries can be blamed for the team's struggles and probable playoff absense but it looks like the Wild should be using the last two weeks as audition for next year's squad.

Minnesota is 16-35 in the last 51 road games as an underdog, 3-7 in the past 10 games versus a team with a winning home record and 17-36 in their last 53 road games. The Redwing are 6-1 in the last 7 overall, 39-14 in the past 53 home contests as a favorite of +201 or more and 4-1 in their past 12 versus the Western Conference.

Minnesota is nine points back of Detroit with two weeks left in the season so they need a ton of wins and a few teams to lose to squeak in to the playoffs. Possible but not likely however ask the Flyers what happens when you don't play well. That said Detroit is playing well and want to continue the trend as they build momentum for the playoffs and I think this is a game they need to keep on rolling.