2009 Stanley Cup Final Betting Odds
Sportsinteraction.com has made the Detroit Red Wings a -164 favorite to win the 2009 Stanley Cup Final. The Pittsburgh Penguins 2009 Stanley Cup final betting odds pay $120 for every $100 bet.
"There is certainly value in betting the Penguins," states Don Shapiro of Gambling911.com. "Especially when you consider how banged up the Red Wings are coming into Saturday night's Finals."
Pierre LeBrun of ESPN.com argues that the Penguins may not have enough left in their tank to win two consecutive years.
"The Wings will need to get healthy in a hurry to defend that NHL championship. The Winged Wheel has a few dents.
"Marian Hossa was wearing an ice pack on his right knee after Wednesday's drama-filled affair. Jonathan Ericsson had an emergency appendectomy in the afternoon. Lidstrom missed a second straight game with a lower-body injury. Pavel Datsyuk has missed three games with a foot injury. Kris Draper has been out two games with a groin injury. Andreas Lilja remains out (concussion), as does Tomas Kopecky (orbital bone)."
"Hopefully, you're going to get some guys back," Wings coach Mike Babcock said of his own team. "Normally when you win in five games, you get this little break. But I think they're trying to jam. I don't know if we're making up for lost time in the previous three series by jamming this all in 10 days or whatever we're doing. They don't ask me these questions."
It's not just injuries that present a weakness for the Red Wings, points out Ari Baum-Cohen of Illegal Curve.
"Detroit's major weakness this postseason has been penalty killing. The Red Wings have allowed power-play goals in 13 straight games before Wednesday's contest against the Blackhawks. The Wings' penalty kill is currently a dismal 73.7 percent.
"Pittsburgh's power play, though unexceptional in the playoffs, is critical to its success. Detroit has not given up many 5-on-5 goals, so Pittsburgh will need to capitalize on its man-advantage opportunities. Crosby, Malkin, and five-time All-Star Sergei Gonchar will be relied on heavily to produce.
"Like any series with two offensively talented teams, goaltending will likely determine who comes away with the Cup. Chris Osgood is playing very well for the Red Wings in the 2009 playoffs and could very well be their nominee for the Conn Smythe Trophy. Osgood has posted a 2.06 GAA and .925 save percentage through the first three rounds."
History is on the Red Wings side when it comes to betting on this team in the Playoffs. As a -110 to -150 favorite (which is the line they opened at), Detroit has a record of 7-1. Likewise, they are 12-3 in their last 15 Stanley Cup Finals games. It should be noted, however, that Pittsburgh, using the money line in all games when playing against a team with a winning record in the second half of the season,
Has a record of 27 Wins and 13 Losses this season.
No matter how you look at this one, it promises to be a great game.
2009 Stanley Cup betting odds - both future and daily lines - were available at Sportsinteraction.com
Ean Lamb, Gambling911.com
