Pittsburgh Penguins vs. Ottawa Senators Prediction, NHL Odds
Thursday night in the NHL gives us a massive slate of 13 games, including a matchup between the Pittsburgh Penguins and Ottawa Senators. Both have played 71 games this season and have just one point separating the two. With both potentially battling for a wild card spot at season’s end, this meeting is absolutely crucial.
This is the third and final meeting between the two this season, where Ottawa will look for the regular season sweep. It is time to look at our Penguins vs. Senators preview and prediction.
Penguins vs. Senators NHL Betting Odds
Ottawa owns the -1.5 puckline in this game at odds of +170. On the season, they have been middling when it comes to covering, sporting a 33-38 record against the puckline. Meanwhile, Pittsburgh +1.5 comes in at -205, and they have been far more impressive at 41-30. Ottawa’s moneyline odds are -135, while Pittsburgh is at +155.
As for the game totals, these teams are no strangers to goals. Ottawa is 37-33-1 to the over, while Pittsburgh is 38-31-2. We may see a similar result in what should be a highly-energetic game. The total for the game is set at 6.5 goals, +105 for the over and -125 for the under.
There is an excellent cast of goal-scorers in this game, and in what could be a high-scoring affair, there could be a lot of value to be found in these props. Leading the way in scoring odds for Ottawa is Brady Tkachuk (+140) and Tim Stutzle (+165). For Pittsburgh, Bryan Rust (+230) and Sidney Crosby (+230) have the shortest odds.
Pittsburgh Penguins
The Pittsburgh Penguins (35-20-16) currently sit in a playoff position, but by no means are they comfortable. They are just one point from a tie for the last wild card spot, and in the NHL, your position in the standings can change in a heartbeat. However, they are just one point from second in the division, so we should see full motivation.
The Penguins have had a miserable time keeping the puck out of the net as of late. In their last four games, the team has given up a whopping 21 goals. The time to fix this is now, as the Senators have scored just 14 times in their last five games.
Veteran forward Evgeni Malkin is confirmed out for this game, as his hard miles continue to affect his availability. This hurts the depth, but there are still many key pieces led by Sidney Crosby that could iron out a strong effort on the road, where they have done decently with a 18-9-8 record.
Ottawa Senators
The Ottawa Senators (38-24-9) have been one of the hottest teams in the entire NHL, and they are showing no signs of slowing down. Just weeks ago, their playoff lives looked bleak, but led by captain Brady Tkachuk, the Senators now find themselves in a playoff spot. That said, there is still a long way to go.
They are 15-3-2 over their last 20 games, but have won six of their last seven, and are riding a four-game winning streak – proving recent dominance. On home ice, Ottawa is 18-11-5 and has won four-straight in front of their fans, outscoring opponents 17-8.
While they’ve been dominant, Ottawa is missing two key pieces to their blueline in Jake Sanderson and Thomas Chabot. The team has clearly picked up the slack offensively and in net, but these absences do not make it an easy road, especially against a team just as hungry.
NHL Prediction: Who Will Win Penguins vs. Senators?
With both teams fighting for their respective playoff lives, this will generate maximum effort and an elite matchup. Either could take it, but I expect both teams to showcase their offensive strength.
This game features two scoring averages well over 3.3 per game, and are within the top nine in the NHL. We will see two elite power plays averaging well over 22 per cent, two high-shooting teams, and defensive results that have not exactly been there consistently. When all is said and done, I expect a 5-4 win for the Ottawa Senators.
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