The Pittsburgh Penguins (20-15-5), on a three-game road winning streak, take on the Carolina Hurricanes (23-13-5) on Saturday in a matchup that will be broadcast on ESPN+, BSSO and SN-PT.
Carolina secured a 6-3 home victory against the Ducks in their last outing on Thursday, while Pittsburgh, playing at home on the same day, suffered a 4-3 OT loss to the Canucks.
Pittsburgh Penguins vs Carolina Hurricanes: Game Preview
The Pittsburgh Penguins are consistently scoring 3.05 goals per game and allowing 2.73. Their power play efficiency is at 14.3%, and they have an impressive 82% success rate on the penalty kill.
Jake Guentzel hsa been a standout player for the Penguins, contributing 18 goals, 27 assists and 148 shots on goal. In goal, Tristan Jarry holds a 11-12-3 record, with a 2.56 GAA and a .913 SV%.
Meanwhile, the Carolina Hurricanes have shown their offensive prowess, averaging 3.46 per game and allowing 2.98. Their power play is an impressive 28.8%, while their penalty kill is a solid 82.7%.
Leading the charge for Carolina is Sebastian Aho, who has contributed 15 goals, 32 assists and 114 shots on goal. In the net, Antti Raanta, boasting an 8-5-2 record this season, has a 3.27 GAA and a .862 SV%.
Pittsburgh Penguins vs Carolina Hurricanes: Head-to-head and significant numbers
- The Penguins and Hurricanes have faced off 164 times across the regular season and playoffs.
- The Penguins have an overall 52.7% success rate in the matchup, tallying an 81-70-11-2 record.
- In the regular season, the Penguins have a 51.6% record, at 77-70-11-2.
- In faceoff, the Hurricanes rank eighth in the NHL with a 51.3% success rate.
- The Penguins lead the league with an impressive 55.1% faceoff win percentage.
- Goal differentials have the Hurricanes at eighth with +20, while the Penguins are 13th with a +13.
Pittsburgh Penguins vs Carolina Hurricanes: Odds and prediction
Over 37 games this season where Carolina has been the favorite, it has won 22. The Hurricanes hold a 14-8 season record when playing with odds shorter than -152, underscoring their effectiveness in favored positions. The odds suggests a 60.3% chance of Carolina winning this game.
Meanwhile, the Penguins have been considered the underdogs 16 times this season, managing 10 upsets. However, when playing with odds of +128 or longer, Pittsburgh suffered losses both times, presenting a 43.9% chance for them to clinch victory here.
Prediction: Hurricanes 5-2 Penguins
Pittsburgh Penguins vs Carolina Hurricanes: Betting tips
Tip 1: Result: Hurricanes to win
Tip 2: Total goals over 5: Yes
Tip 3: Jake Guentzel to be first goalscorer: Yes
Tip 4: Pittsburgh to beat the spread: Yes