Stanley Cup picks – Red Wings limp forward to face battle-ready Penguins

Stanley Cup picks have been all across the board so far. Online sports betting handicappers aren’t sure whether to go with the tried, tested and true Detroit Red Wings, or bank on some revenge with the Pittsburgh Penguins. But before we make our Stanley Cup predictions for Game 1, think how much of a rarity it is to see the same teams in the Finals again. For only the second time in NHL history, we have a Stanley Cup Finals rematch from the previous season.

Stanley Cup Picks: Red Wings -160 for Game 1

• Penguins offer good value as an underdog in Game 1
• Penguins are the hottest team in the NHL
• Injuries will hamper the Red Wings in Game 1

The sportsbook odds makers are expecting a lot of Game 1 Stanley Cup picks to be backing the Red Wings, which is why the betting line is set at -160. But it’s hard not to like the value that the Pittsburgh Penguins offer.

The Penguins are riding high at the moment, being the winners of eight of their last nine games – and that’s after finishing the regular season on an 18-3-3 run. If you’re making your Stanley Cup picks, it’s difficult to ignore the Red Wings’ dominance at Joe Louis Arena and the home-ice advantage it brings, but it’s also hard to ignore that the Penguins are the hottest team in the league right now.

A bigger concern for the Red Wings – and those making their Stanley Cup picks for Game 1 – should be the amount of injuries they will have to deal with. Team captain and defensive anchor Nicklas Lidstrom missed the final three games of the Western Conference Finals and is questionable for Game 1, as is MVP candidate Pavel Datsyuk and special teams ace Kris Draper. While the Red Wings took those losses in stride against the Chicago Blackhawks, it may catch up to them against a high-scoring, high-flying team like Pittsburgh.

Stanley Cup predictions will be predicated on the performance of the two best players in this series: Sidney Crosby and Evgeni Malkin. Unfortunately for the Red Wings, the Penguins have both of the best players in this series. Malkin and Crosby have combined for 56 points in the playoffs in just 14 games. Both are averaging two points per game in the postseason while Crosby, who has 14 goals already, is on pace to tie or break Reggie Leach and Jari Kurri’s record of 19 goals in a postseason.

For Game 1, the Penguins have the advantage and should be on everyone’s minds for Stanley Cup picks. They want revenge and they want to set the tone, and the good news is that with an extra day of rest and the healthier roster, they will be able to do so.

Don Melrose’s Stanley Cup Pick for Game 1: Penguins +140

For regular handicapping information on the NHL lines and daily Stanley Cup picks visit the Betting Edge throughout the entire Stanley Cup playoffs.

Who better to offer great sports betting and hockey tips than a native Canadian? Like any good Canuck, Don Melrose eats, sleeps, breathes and bets hockey, making him the perfect NHL handicapper. Thoughts or questions?