Call for Doctor Octopus – Are the Detroit Red Wings on the Rise Again?

Frank Doyle enjoyed the Heritage Classic, and wonders if the Red Wings are a good longshot bet to win it all again?

The media might have had their doubts about the worth or otherwise of the Heritage Classic but people who bet on NHL hockey just couldn’t get enough of it.

The game between Montreal and Calgary outdoors at McMahon stadium was the biggest of the weekend and the bettors got their way – Calgary was a -145 home favorite and the Flames delivered, burning down the Habs in a 4-0 win.

That win was the Flames third straight – is it possible for Calgary to catch the Canucks at the top of the Northwest? The Canucks are a on a win-one, lose-one policy currently that may be as much due to complacency as their currently injury worries. Both have to be a source of concern in British Columbia, not least when Detroit is closing in the Western rankings.

Detroit has won five straight, starting with back to backs against Boston, and veteran Todd Bartuzzi is back among the goals since Pavel Datsyuk returned from the IR. San Jose visits the Joe Louis Arena on Tuesday. That’ll be a good game.

Over in the East, the Flyers are the outright NHL betting favorites to go one better than they managed last year and lift the Stanley Cup. Losing as a road favorite to a late goal in Carolina didn’t make for an ideal weekend for the Flyers, but they eased their pain with a satisfying – and surprisingly clean – 4-2 win over the Rangers at Madison Square Garden.

This week doesn’t look like the most challenging for Philadelphia either – Phoenix could be tricky on Tuesday but the Islanders or Senators are hardly likely to offer much resistance later in the week.

Tampa Bay is the team second to the Flyers in the East, but the Bolts haven’t sparked at all since the All-Star break, going 3-4-1 since. The Coyotes move south to Tampa on Wednesday after Philly on Tuesday and if the winning streak is still alive it’s likely to be more bad news for the Bolts.