| MATCHUP | Pittsburgh Penguins | Detroit Red Wings |
|---|---|---|
| Team Records | 19-12-9 | 24-15-4 |
| Where | Little Caesars Arena, Detroit, MI | |
| When | Saturday, January 3, 2026 | |
| Time | 12:00 PM EST | |
| TV | ABC | |
Detroit Red Wings Preview
The Red Wings have 52 points this season with a 24-14-4 record, and are 20-22 ATS and 21-17 in over/under. They have a 14-7-1 home record and a 10-7-3 road record and are sitting 1st in the Atlantic Division. They are coming off a 4-3 home overtime loss to the Penguins, and their previous three games were a 2-1 home win over the Jets, a 3-2 home overtime win over the Maple Leafs, and a 5-2 road loss to the Hurricanes.
Offensively, the Red Wings are averaging 3.05 goals per game and are scoring 25.2% of their power play opportunities. Defensively, they are allowing 3.14 goals per game and are killing 80.2% of their opponent’s power plays.
Lucas Raymond leads the Red Wings with 44 points, also leading the team in assists with 33, while Alex DeBrincat leads the team in goals with 21. John Gibson is the starting goalie for the Red Wings, and he has a 13-8-1 record, with 2.97 GAA and .893 SV%. Cam Talbot is the backup goalie and he has a 11-6-3 record, with 2.99 GAA and .888 SV%.
Pittsburgh Penguins Preview
The Penguins have 45 points this season with a 18-12-9 record, and are 23-16 ATS and 20-16 in over/under. They have a 9-6-5 home record and a 9-6-4 road record and are sitting 5th in the Metropolitan Division. They are coming off a 4-3 road overtime win over the Red Wings, and their previous three games were a 5-1 home win over the Hurricanes, a 7-3 road win over the Blackhawks, and a 6-3 road loss to the Maple Leafs.
Offensively, the Penguins are averaging 3.21 goals per game and are scoring 30.2% of their power play opportunities. Defensively, they are allowing 3.10 goals per game and are killing 81.2% of their opponent’s power plays.
Sidney Crosby leads the Penguins with 43 points, also leading the team in goals with 23, while Erik Karlsson leads the team in assists with 27. Stuart Skinner is the starting goalie for the Penguins, and he has a 12-11-4 record, with 2.91 GAA and .888 SV%. Arturs Silovs is the backup goalie and he has a 7-5-6 record, with 3.20 GAA and .888 SV%.
Pittsburgh Penguins @ Detroit Red Wings Betting Trends: January 3, 2026
Why the Detroit Red Wings will win
- The home team has won each of the Red Wings’ last six games.
- The Penguins have lost each of their last six games after coming off overtime.
- The Penguins have failed to cover the puck line in each of their last six games against Atlantic Division opponents.
- The Red Wings have covered the puck line in four of their last five games against the Penguins.
- The Penguins have lost the third period in each of their last six road games.
Why the Pittsburgh Penguins will win
- The Red Wings have lost each of their last five day games against opponents on a winning streak.
- The Penguins have won three of their last four games as underdogs against the Red Wings.
- The Red Wings have failed to cover the puck line in each of their last 11 games as home favorites against Eastern Conference opponents.
- The underdogs have covered the puck line in each of the Red Wings’ last seven games at Little Caesars Arena.
- The Red Wings have lost the third period in each of their last five day games against opponents on a winning streak.
Total Goals Facts
- Each of the Penguins’ last four games following an overtime win have gone OVER the total goals line.
- Each of the Red Wings’ last six Saturday day games have gone OVER the total goals line.
- The ‘Over 2.5 Goals Period 1′ market has hit in each of the Penguins’ last five games.
- The ‘Over 1.5 Goals Period 1′ market has hit in each of the Red Wings’ last six home games against the Penguins.
Detroit Red Wings Player Prop Facts
- Moritz Seider has scored a goal in four of the Red Wings’ last five games as home favorites against Eastern Conference opponents.
- Lucas Raymond has recorded at least one assist in each of the Red Wings’ last five games against the Penguins.
- Dylan Larkin ranks T2nd in the league for Game Winning Goals (5) this season.
Pittsburgh Penguins Player Prop Facts
- Bryan Rust has scored a goal in each of the Penguins’ last three day games.
- Sidney Crosby has recorded at least one assist in each of the Penguins’ last eight games against the Red Wings.
- Justin Brazeau ranks 1st amongst qualified players for shooting percentage (26.7%) this season.
Matchup/League Facts
- The Detroit Red Wings rank 4th in the league in power play percentage this season (25.19%).
- The Detroit Red Wings rank 32nd in the league in short handed goals this season (0).
- The Pittsburgh Penguins rank 2nd in the league in power play percentage this season (30.19%).
- The Pittsburgh Penguins have recorded the equal-longest losing streak (8 games) in the NHL this season.
Penguins vs Red Wings Prediction
In their previous meeting earlier this season, the Penguins won 4-3 at home in overtime but both teams are tied 5-5 in their last 10 meetings. Over is 8-2 in their last 10 meetings.
In this Penguins vs Red Wings Prediction, the Red Wings are coming as -140 home favorites. The Red Wings have been the better team this season and have been extremely strong at home, with 14 home wins this season. Both teams are coming into this matchup in good form, as they are 5-2 and 4-1 in their last 7 and 5 games respectively, but the Red Wings have four consecutive home wins, while the Pens are 1-3 in their last 4 on the road, so I expect the hosts to take care of business in this one. Take the Red Wings on the moneyline.