Ottawa Senators vs. Pittsburgh Penguins Prediction, NHL Odds
The Senators opened their current two-game road trip with a 3-2 loss to the New York Islanders on Thursday night and have now lost eight straight on the road since mid-March. The Penguins have also faltered in the early going, but managed to snap their recent three-game slide with Thursday’s 4-0 victory over the visiting Colorado Avalanche.
The Senators’ recent road woes are reflected on the Saturday NHL odds, where they lag as +125 underdogs. The Penguins are perched as -150 favourites and are a +155 bet to cover as 1.5-goal chalk on the NHL puck line. The total is listed at 6.5, with the OVER vaulting to a short -130 wager.
Senators vs. Penguins NHL Betting Odds
Saturday night’s matchup at PPG Paints Arena marks the first of three scheduled regular-season meetings between these Eastern Conference rivals. The Senators took two of three from the Penguins last season, capped by a 2-1 victory in Pittsburgh on March 20, which also marks the last time Ottawa earned a win on the road.
However, the Penguins hold the historical edge in head-to-head action, topping Ottawa in six of nine meetings since December 2019 including wins in five of six home dates with the Sens.
Ottawa Senators
For the second time in as many outings, the Senators had no answer for a fast start by their opponents. The Sens spotted the Islanders a 2-0 first-period advantage, and while they managed to outshoot by a wide 34-21 advantage over the final 40 minutes, they were unable to recover on their way to a 3-2 loss. That defeat comes on the heels of a 6-4 loss to Buffalo in which they spotted the Sabres a speedy 2-0 lead, and the club has now been outscored by a 5-1 margin in first-period action during their three-game slide.
Thursday’s defeat also proved costly, as Eric Brannstrom was sidelined with a concussion. The loss of Brannstrom adds to growing blueline injury woes following injuries to Thomas Chabot and Artyom Zub, both of whom will miss Saturday’s contest. One positive has been the steady play of Vladimir Tarasenko, who has claimed a share of the team’s scoring lead with three goals and eight points in seven games, and sports -110 odds on the player props to record at least a point on Saturday.
Pittsburgh Penguins
It has been far from a glowing start for the Penguins, who enter the weekend mired in last place in the Metropolitan Division odds with just six points through seven games. However, the Pens showed signs of turning things around in Thursday’s victory over Colorado. Reilly Smith provided the spark with a pair of first-period goals, and has now recorded three goals and four points over his past three home appearances.
In fact, the Penguins are undefeated so far this season when Smith bulges the twine. Tristan Jarry, who is expected to get the call between the pipes on Saturday, turned aside all 31 shots he faced in Thursday’s win. However, Jarry has struggled to find consistency in the early going, sandwiching a pair of middling performances in which he allowed eight goals on 48 total shots between a pair of shutouts. However, he has made 39 or more saves on two occasions while winning three of four career starts versus Ottawa.