NHL matchups, odds to watch: January 17
Two-game slate features Red Wings-Panthers, M. Tkachuk prop, Canadiens-Devils
NHL.com identifies key gameday matchups and players to watch throughout the 2023-24 season.
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1. Detroit Red Wings at Florida Panthers (7 p.m. ET; BSFL, BSDET)
Over 6.5 total goals: -120
Under 6.5 total goals: +100
The Panthers are winless in consecutive games (0-1-1) with nine goals allowed in the span following their prior nine-game winning streak. But Florida had a 2-0 road win against Detroit on Nov. 2, when goalie Sergei Bobrovsky had a 22-save shutout. Panthers captain Aleksander Barkov (lower body) is not expected to play Wednesday. Florida forward Sam Reinhart ranks second in the NHL in goals (32) behind Auston Matthews (34) of the Toronto Maple Leafs.
Detroit remains without injured right wing Patrick Kane (lower body) but has won consecutive games and is 6-1-1 in its past eight games since the return of goalie Alex Lyon (5-1-1, .914 save percentage in seven games during span). Red Wings center Dylan Larkin leads them in points (seven in six games; four goals, three assists) and shots on goal (22) since Jan. 1.
2. Montreal Canadiens at New Jersey Devils (7 p.m. ET; MSGSN, SN, RDS)
MTL puckline (+1.5 goals): -162
NJD puckline (-1.5 goals): +136
The Canadiens have earned points in four of their past five games with signature wins against the New York Rangers (4-3 in shootout Jan. 6) and Colorado Avalanche (4-3 in regulation Monday) in that span. The Devils are coming off a 3-0 loss at the Boston Bruins on Monday, but each of their past four wins have come by multiple goals. New Jersey, which is expected to get wing Timo Meier back from injury Wednesday, ranks seventh in the NHL in goals per game (3.46), while Montreal is averaging the fifth fewest (2.70).
The Devils had a 5-2 road win against the Canadiens on Oct. 24, with forward Tyler Toffoli having a hat trick in the game. But New Jersey center Jack Hughes, who had four assists in that game, remains out with an upper-body injury. Center Nick Suzuki leads Montreal with 37 points (12 goals, 25 assists) in 43 games this season. Canadiens defenseman Mike Matheson scored a goal on five shots on goal against the Devils in the earlier matchup and has a three-game assists streak with four assists, two on the power play, in the span.
3. Matthew Tkachuk multipoint game prop
Over 1.5 points: +124
Under 1.5 points: -158
Panthers forward Matthew Tkachuk had an assist and five shots on goal against the Red Wings on Nov. 2 and has seven points in four games (including two multipoint games) against them over the past two seasons combined. Tkachuk has had multiple points in 11 of his 43 games this season, including two four-point games, and is tied with Elias Pettersson of the Vancouver Canucks for the NHL lead in points since Jan. 1 (15 in past seven games).
The 26-year-old wing ranks second on the Panthers in assists (30) behind Barkov (35) and is tied for second in power-play points (15) behind Reinhart (20) playing mostly on the first unit. Detroit is tied for the eighth-most goals allowed per game (3.35) in the NHL this season and is allowing the third-most shots on goal per game (35.7) since Jan. 1.
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