Red Wings and Blue Jackets Serve Up a Preseason Snoozefest in Scoreless Draw

Well, that was something. The Red Wings and Blue Jackets skated to a 0-0 deadlock in what can only be described as a masterclass in offensive futility—or a goaltending clinic, depending on how generous you're feeling. Either way, nobody paid to see this.

DarkHorse's +1.5 Red Wings pick? Easy money. When you're backing the dog with a cushion and both teams forget how to score, you cash without breaking a sweat. The original reasoning nailed it: neither squad had any business being favored by more than a goal, and Columbus certainly didn't earn that privilege tonight. Pheonix Copley's suspect .893 save percentage? Didn't matter when Detroit couldn't muster a single puck past him. Trey Augustine, the unknown commodity in Detroit's crease, matched him save for save in his own right.

This was preseason hockey at its most preseason—sluggish, tentative, and devoid of finish. The Red Wings didn't need to win; they just needed to stay within shouting distance, and a scoreless tie does that job twice over. Columbus backers who laid -1.5 got exactly what they deserved: a lesson in not overvaluing home ice when neither team can find the net. Chalk up the W for the sharp money.