Vancouver Canucks vs. Pittsburgh Penguins Prediction, NHL Odds
Vancouver is a short favourite on the NHL odds with a total of 5.5 goals.
Canucks vs. Penguins NHL Betting Odds
Expectations weren’t all that high for the Penguins this campaign having missed the playoffs the past three seasons and firing long-time coach Mike Sullivan, who led the franchise to a pair of Stanley Cups years ago. But Pittsburgh has overachieved in the early going under first-time NHL head coach Dan Muse. He was a New York Rangers assistant the previous two seasons.
All-time greats and future Hall of Famers Evgeni Malkin (nine points) and Sidney Crosby (seven) lead the Penguins in points; this might be Malkin’s final season at age 39 as he doesn’t have a contract next season and Pittsburgh hasn’t given any indication it wants to offer one. Malkin has said he’ll never play for another club so retirement is likely. The 38-year-old Crosby is signed through next season, but is it that hard to imagine him also retiring on top if he leads Canada to Olympic gold and then the Penguins to another Cup?
Tuesday is the first of two meetings between these teams with Pittsburgh visiting Vancouver on Jan. 25, not too far ahead of the NHL’s Olympic break. They have split each of the past three seasons with the Penguins prevailing 5-4 at home last year – nearly blowing a 5-1 second-period lead. Malkin (1G, 3A) and Bryan Rust (3G, 1A) led the Pens with four point each in the series. Crosby had two assists. Tristan Jarry got that victory in net. Quinn Hughes (1G, 2A) and Elias Pettersson (2G, 1A) led Vancouver with three points each. Kevin Lankinen won his start in net and Arturs Silovs lost his; he’s now with Pittsburgh.
The over is 5-0 in the past five meetings in Pittsburgh.
Vancouver Canucks
Vancouver has been mega-impressive on this trip so far with three straight wins after a 4-3 upset victory at Washington on Sunday to snap the Capitals’ four-game winning streak. It was 4-0 early in the second with four different goalscorers, and the Canucks hung on. Blueliner Tyler Myers was the No. 1 star with a goal and assist, and winger Conor Garland had two helpers. Centre Filip Chytil was on the wrong end of a hard Tom Wilson hit and placed on injured reserve Monday, one of a few moves the team made in that regard. Chytil has three goals on the year. Fellow centre Teddy Blueger (1G on year) was injured as well but wasn’t put on IR. He’s unlikely Tuesday, though. Forward Brock Boeser (3G) didn’t play due to personal reasons but is probable. Quinn Hughes skated in his 219th career win and passed Garth Butcher for the ninth most wins all-time among Canucks defencemen. Thatcher Demko stopped 28 shots to improve 3-1-0 with a 2.28 GAA and .922 SV on the year and should start Tuesday. Vancouver is 5-1 in its past six road games.
Pittsburgh Penguins
The Penguins have been off since Saturday’s 3-0 win in San Jose to complete the California Swing at 2-1. Sidney Crosby and Evgeni Malkin each had a goal and assist. In doing so, Crosby tied another Penguins legend in Mario Lemieux at 1,895 career points including playoffs. That’s the seventh-highest combined total in NHL history when including the post-season. Crosby scored against a 160th different goaltender on Saturday. Alex Ovechkin holds that mark of 184. Kris Letang assisted on a Crosby goal for the 125th time in his career. The only blueliner to assist on as many of another player’s goals in league history are John Carlson (158 with Ovechkin) and Bobby Orr (130 with Phil Esposito). Tristan Jarry recorded his 22nd career shutout and tied Tom Barrasso for the second most in Penguins history on Saturday, but we think the Pens will give Arturs Silovs the start Tuesday against his former Canucks team. Silovs is 2-1-0 with a 2.67 GAA and .908 SV in his first year in Pittsburgh. The Pens are 8-3 in their past 11 at home.
