Red Wings vs Blue Jackets 05/07/21 – Odds and NHL Betting Trends

The Detroit Red Wings are 2-2-2 over their last six games. The Red Wings wrap up their season over the next two nights with a back-to-back set of games against the Columbus Blue Jackets this Friday and Saturday night.

Detroit is a +130 road underdog on the NHL odds for Friday night in Columbus at sportsbooks monitored by OddsShark.com. The Blue Jackets (-150) are 5-8-3 as a betting favorite this season.

The Red Wings’ defense and goaltending have been fantastic over the team’s last five games as Jonathan Bernier and Thomas Greiss have combined to allow only six regulation goals over that stretch. Unfortunately for Detroit, this outstanding run of play in the defensive zone has only led to a 1-2-2 record as the Red Wings have only scored three goals in those five games. Detroit will definitely need to address its offense this offseason, but the major step forward from last year in the defensive zone was a welcome improvement for this rebuilding squad.

In their last 18 games against the Blue Jackets, the Red Wings are 4-14 on the moneyline per the OddsShark NHL Database.

Since going just 1-10-1 over their previous 12 games, the Blue Jackets have earned points in each of their last five games with a 2-0-3 record that includes three losses in overtime. Oliver Bjorkstrand continued his impressive season on Wednesday night with two goals and an assist in Columbus’s 4-2 win over the Nashville Predators. Bjorkstrand had a breakout campaign in 2019-20 with 21 goals and 15 assists in 49 games and has followed that up with 17 goals and 25 assists here in 2021.

Friday night’s total is set at five goals at sports betting sites. The UNDER is 5-0 in Detroit’s last five games (how the OVER/UNDER works).

All six of the previous meetings between the Red Wings and Blue Jackets this season have produced a total of five goals or less. Goals figure to be at a premium over the next two nights as both of these teams bring their 2021 seasons to a close. This series could have draft implications as the Blue Jackets are currently just one point ahead of the Red Wings in the Central Division standings.