It was a mild surprise that the Detroit Red Wings opened as betting favorites to beat Boston in the Bruins’ visit to Motor City this Tuesday, set for an opening faceoff at 7 p.m. EST. The Red Wings have lost four games in a row, and Las Vegas is still convinced that Tuesday’s the eve for Detroit to turn it around.

It’s not as though the Bruins are badly struggling. Detroit and Boston sport similar records, and the Bruins won the first game of the teams’ home-and-home series 3-2 on Saturday. The Red Wings have allowed 19 goals during their four-game skid, compared to the Bruins’ stingier 13 goals surrendered in the same span.

There’s a method to Sin City’s madness. Detroit’s fans can afford to be optimistic about taking revenge in Tuesday’s rematch, because the two clubs’ lists of available skaters are growing disparate in December.

Red Wings -1.5 (+133)Bruins +1.5 (-150)Red Wings -178Bruins +170Over 5.5 (-117)Under 5.5 (+108)

Note: The above data was collected on Dec. 2, 2025, and may have changed since writing. 

Detroit Red Wings vs Boston Bruins Betting Trends The Detroit Red Wings have dropped four games in a row. Boston has defeated Detroit in four of the last five meetings. Totals have gone under in the last four head-to-head contests.Detroit Red Wings vs Boston Bruins Injury ReportsDefenseman Shai Buium is out for at least two weeks with an undisclosed injury.Right winger David Pastrnak is day-to-day with knee tendon soreness.Right winger Viktor Arvidsson is out with a lower-body injury. Defenseman Charlie McAvoy is out following surgery for a facial injury.Defenseman Henri Jokiharju is doubtful with an undisclosed injury.Defenseman Jordan Harris is out with a fractured ankle.Right winger Matej Blumel is out with a lower-body injury.Detroit Red Wings vs Boston Bruins Predictions and Picks

National Hockey League forecasters are trying to guess when the Boston Bruins’ injury problems will catch up with them. It may have already happened when the Bruins lost 6-3 to the Rangers last Friday, although Henri Jokiharju skated and produced an assist in that contest. Dealing with an injury to Czech sniper David Pastrnak and another to Team USA hero Charlie McAvoy, the Bruins were too busy juggling lines and blue-line pairings to check opposing winger Artemi Panarin, who had four points in New York’s romp. 

For the Detroit Red Wings’ media, it’s like Detroit’s former goaltender Tom Barrasso once said. When you lose, the goaltending stinks. Kevin Allen of Detroit Hockey Now is restless enough about the Red Wings’ netminders to call for a call-up of AHL backstop Sebastian Cossa: “With the Detroit Red Wings sitting 28th in the NHL in save percentage and 25th in GAA, it is noteworthy that (Cossa’s) strong start continues with (Grand Rapids).” Detroit starter Cam Talbot allowed two goals from 19 opposing shots on Saturday.

Boston goaltender Jeremy Swayman is well-rested after playing only sparingly in the last week. His likely presence between the pipes on Tuesday makes the Bruins into a solid puck-line bet at generous prices.