The Penguins will attempt to get their season on track when they visit the Ottawa Senators on Saturday night. Pittsburgh has actually been better on the road than they have been at home this season so Evgeni Malkin and company will be hoping they can continue that trend this weekend.

Ottawa has actually played its best hockey on home ice this year with a 6-3-2 record. The Senators have alternated between wins and losses over their last six games dating back to November 4^th. Now they will try to buck that trend as they try to pick up their second win in a row when they host the Penguins. Here is a closer look at the matchup.

Penguins vs Senators Betting Analysis

Pittsburgh is just 1-6-1 over its last eight games dating back to October 30^th. The Penguins are 6-11 on the puck line this season, including a 4-4 PL mark on the road. Pittsburgh has actually been pretty good as the visiting team this season with a 4-2-2 record on the road so far.

Ottawa will be looking to build on an excellent start at home where they are 6-3-2 so far this season. The Senators are 10-9 on the puck line, including a 7-4 PL record on home ice. This will be the first of three meetings between these teams.

Pittsburgh Penguins

In addition to their slow start, the Penguins are also dealing with a major injury with the loss of captain Sidney Crosby. Crosby is expected to miss at least a week with an upper-body injury, which means he won’t be available against Ottawa. That will put even more pressure on the shoulders of Malkin, Phil Kessel, Kris Letang and company. It would certainly help if Pittsburgh could get better goaltending as well. Matt Murray has allowed four goals or more in three straight starts. Casey DeSmith has been pretty good overall but he gave up three goals in a 4-2 loss to the New Jersey Devils in his last start. Until they start getting better goaltending, the Penguins will continue to struggle.

Pittsburgh should be able to score some goals even without Crosby in the lineup on Saturday night. However, poor goaltending will make this another difficult contest on the road.

• Regular Season
• Playoffs

Penguins Team Leaders

PIT

Points	Sidney Crosby 100
+ / -	Brian Dumoulin 31
Shots	Jake Guentzel 227
Penalty Mins	Evgeni Malkin 89
Wins	Matt Murray 29
GAA	Matt Murray 2.69

OTT

Points	Thomas Chabot 55
+ / -	Brian Gibbons 3
Shots	Brady Tkachuk 214
Penalty Mins	Mark Borowiecki 89
Wins	Craig Anderson 17
GAA	Anders Nilsson 2.9

PIT

Points	Justin Schultz 3
+ / -	Jared McCann 1
Shots	Patric Hornqvist 15
Penalty Mins	Patric Hornqvist 8
Wins	Zach Aston-Reese 0
GAA	Matt Murray 3.02

OTT

Points
+ / -
Shots	Did not qualify
Penalty Mins
Wins
GAA

Ottawa Senators

The Senators have run hot and cold all season, including a 3-3 record over the past couple of weeks. Mark Stone and Matt Duchene have led the way up front with 11 and nine points respectively over the last two weeks. Ottawa’s depth is also helping pick up the slack including rookie Drake Batherson, who score in his NHL debut in a 2-1 win over the Detroit Red Wings on Thursday night.

Craig Anderson is 8-5-3 this season despite a 3.53 goals against average and a .909 save percentage. The Senators have won in spite of Anderson’s inconsistent play so far this season. However, he will need to be better if they are going to contend for a playoff spot. If Anderson could at least slow down the Penguins again on Saturday night then Ottawa will have a very good chance to win this game. However, if he doesn’t then it will be difficult for them to hold off Pittsburgh on home ice. There is some pretty good value betting on the Senators to win this contest. It might be worth it to take a chance on Ottawa to win against the struggling Penguins on Saturday night.

• Regular Season
• Playoffs

Senators Team Leaders

PIT

Points	Sidney Crosby 100
+ / -	Brian Dumoulin 31
Shots	Jake Guentzel 227
Penalty Mins	Evgeni Malkin 89
Wins	Matt Murray 29
GAA	Matt Murray 2.69

OTT

Points	Thomas Chabot 55
+ / -	Brian Gibbons 3
Shots	Brady Tkachuk 214
Penalty Mins	Mark Borowiecki 89
Wins	Craig Anderson 17
GAA	Anders Nilsson 2.9

PIT

Points	Justin Schultz 3
+ / -	Jared McCann 1
Shots	Patric Hornqvist 15
Penalty Mins	Patric Hornqvist 8
Wins	Zach Aston-Reese 0
GAA	Matt Murray 3.02

OTT

Points
+ / -
Shots	Did not qualify
Penalty Mins
Wins
GAA

Injuries

Pittsburgh

Jared McCann (C)

Prob Sun Upper Body - 12 / 04 / 19

Erik Gudbranson (D)

Ques Fri Lower Body - 10 / 04 / 19

Brian Dumoulin (D)

Ques Wed Lower Body - 02 / 04 / 19

Evgeni Malkin (C)

Prob Thurs Upper Body - 17 / 03 / 19

Zach Aston-Reese (LW)

Ques Wed Lower Body - 10 / 03 / 19

Zach Trotman (D)

Ques Sat Upper Body - 07 / 03 / 19

Patric Hornqvist (RW)

Ques Thurs Undisclosed - 06 / 03 / 19

Chad Ruhwedel (D)

Ques Thurs Arm - 26 / 02 / 19

Bryan Rust (RW)

Ques Sun Lower Body - 26 / 02 / 19

Brian Dumoulin (D)

Ques Tues Concussion - 24 / 02 / 19

Ottawa

Mikkel Boedker (LW)

Out Thurs Undisclosed - 04 / 04 / 19

Bobby Ryan (RW)

Prob Sat Undisclosed - 04 / 04 / 19

Ben Harpur (D)

Ques Sat Illness - 03 / 04 / 19

Mark Borowiecki (D)

Ques Sat Upper Body - 31 / 03 / 19

Zack Smith (LW)

Prob Sat Back - 23 / 03 / 19

Cody Ceci (D)

Prob Thurs Upper Body - 21 / 03 / 19

Jean-Gabriel Pageau (C)

Elig Sat Suspension - 21 / 03 / 19

Mark Borowiecki (D)

Prob Sat Illness - 14 / 03 / 19

Colin White (C)

Prob Sat Neck - 11 / 03 / 19

Anthony Duclair (LW)

Prob Sat Foot - 09 / 03 / 19

Injuries

Pittsburgh

player (position)	status		ats*current	o/u*	notes
Jared McCann (C)	Prob Sun	Upper Body - 12 / 04 / 19	1-2	1-2	+ -
McCann missed the previous game with an upper-body injury but it is likely he will play against the Islanders in Game 3 of the Eastern Conference first round.
Erik Gudbranson (D)	Ques Fri	Lower Body - 10 / 04 / 19	1-3	2-2	+ -
Gudbranson sustained a lower-body injury and it is unclear if he will face the Islanders in Game 2 of the Eastern Conference first round.
Brian Dumoulin (D)	Ques Wed	Lower Body - 02 / 04 / 19	3-4	2-5	+ -
Dumolin has sat out the last three games of the regular season with a lower-body injury and it is unknown if he will return for Game 1 of the Eastern Conference first round versus the Islanders.
Evgeni Malkin (C)	Prob Thurs	Upper Body - 17 / 03 / 19	7-7	3-10-1	+ -
Malkin is sidelined due to an upper-body injury but is projected to return to action Thursday against the Red Wings.
Zach Aston-Reese (LW)	Ques Wed	Lower Body - 10 / 03 / 19	10-8	4-13-1	+ -
Aston-Reese has been out of commission with an injury to his lower body and it is unclear if he will suit up against the Islanders in Game 1 of the Eastern Conference first round.
Zach Trotman (D)	Ques Sat	Upper Body - 07 / 03 / 19	11-9	4-15-1	+ -
Trotman left the previous game due to an upper-body injury and it is uncertain if he will be out of commission Saturday against the Blue Jackets.
Patric Hornqvist (RW)	Ques Thurs	Undisclosed - 06 / 03 / 19	11-9	4-15-1	+ -
Hornqvist missed practice as he took a maintenance day and it has yet to be determined if he will be in Thursday's lineup against the Blue Jackets.
Chad Ruhwedel (D)	Ques Thurs	Arm - 26 / 02 / 19	13-11	7-16-1	+ -
Ruhwedel has been held out of action due to a right arm injury and it is uncertain return to the lineup for Game 5 of the Eastern Conference first round with the Islanders.
Bryan Rust (RW)	Ques Sun	Lower Body - 26 / 02 / 19	13-11	7-16-1	+ -
Rust has been held out action with a lower-body injury and it is undetermined if he will return to the lineup against the Flyers on Sunday.
Brian Dumoulin (D)	Ques Tues	Concussion - 24 / 02 / 19	13-12	7-17-1	+ -
Dumoulin was held out of the last two games with a concussion and it is unknown if he will be cleared in time for Tuesday's clash with the Panthers.

Ottawa

player (position)	status		ats*current	o/u*	notes
Mikkel Boedker (LW)	Out Thurs	Undisclosed - 04 / 04 / 19	1-1	1-1	+ -
Boedker has an unspecified injury and will not be in Thursday's lineup against the Sabres.
Bobby Ryan (RW)	Prob Sat	Undisclosed - 04 / 04 / 19	1-1	1-1	+ -
Ryan missed the last game to an unspecified injury but is expected to be available against the Blue Jackets on Saturday.
Ben Harpur (D)	Ques Sat	Illness - 03 / 04 / 19	1-2	2-1	+ -
Harpur has been held out of the previous two games due to an illness and it is unknown if he will dress for Saturday's contest against the Blue Jackets.
Mark Borowiecki (D)	Ques Sat	Upper Body - 31 / 03 / 19	2-2	2-2	+ -
Borowiecki has been absent from the lineup during the past three games with an upper-body injury and it is unclear if he will return against the Blue Jackets on Saturday.
Zack Smith (LW)	Prob Sat	Back - 23 / 03 / 19	4-4	4-4	+ -
Smith has sat out the past three games due to a lingering back injury but is expected to return against the Maple Leafs on Saturday.
Cody Ceci (D)	Prob Thurs	Upper Body - 21 / 03 / 19	5-5	6-4	+ -
Ceci has been held out of the last three games with an upper-body injury but is likely to be in Thursday's lineup against the Panthers.
Jean-Gabriel Pageau (C)	Elig Sat	Suspension - 21 / 03 / 19	5-5	6-4	+ -
Pageau has been issued a one-game suspension from the league for boarding an opponent. He is likely to be reinstated in time for Saturday's matchup against the Oilers.
Mark Borowiecki (D)	Prob Sat	Illness - 14 / 03 / 19	7-5	6-6	+ -
Borowiecki was held out of the last game with an illness but is expected to play against the Maple Leafs on Saturday.
Colin White (C)	Prob Sat	Neck - 11 / 03 / 19	8-5	6-7	+ -
White has sat out the previous five games due to a neck injury but is expected to return to the ice against the Oilers on Saturday.
Anthony Duclair (LW)	Prob Sat	Foot - 09 / 03 / 19	8-6	7-7	+ -
Duclair sustained a foot injury last game but is likely to play Saturday against the Bruins.

Penguins vs. Senators Prediction