posted May 9, 2008 at 16:32 EST in NHL Free Picks

Dallas Stars (45-30-7) vs. Detroit Red Wings (54-21-7)

Saturday, May 10th --- Joe Louis Arena, Detroit --- 7:00pm EST

Series: Det 1-0

NHL Betting Line: Detroit -230

The Stars were pummeled in their sports betting opening matchup with the vaunted Detroit Red Wings, getting beat in to the ground 4-1 when all was said and done. Detroit is now 8-2 SU in their last 10 online betting games with Dallas. My assumption that they might have their playoff engine revved to the right pace was way off. This team is simply too well coached, and executes too perfectly, to be expected to lose.

The fear that the rust would’ve settled in after taking a week off between playoff games seemed to propel the Wings’ intensity. They came out flying, capitalizing on Dallas’s mistakes with two power-play goals by Bryan Rafalski and Johan Franzen. Franzen now has 12 goals in 11 playoff games, making him the leading scorer in Detroit’s glorious playoff history. Not bad for a second-line player.

Dallas was practically helpless, falling victim to penalties throughout the game. Tomas Holmstrom chipped in a goal on the man-advantage in the second period, virtually icing the game. Detroit looked stellar. Dallas looked listless.

The Stars managed only twenty shots against Chris Osgood, which simply isn’t going to cut it. Not with Marty Turco’s ghosts in Joe Louis Arena haunting him. It doesn’t help when Dallas puts itself in to penalty trouble early and often, and Turco’s confidence is already waning since he’s had plenty of trouble beating the Wings.

Dallas isn’t a worthy bet on the road in this building, and the puckline is a favorable value since Dallas doesn’t have the offensive punch on the road to get past Lidstrom and the blue-line bruisers for Detroit.

NHL Betting Free Picks: Detroit -230 (UNDER)

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