A Tuesday night in the NHL features a showdown between the Pittsburgh Penguins and the Colorado Avalanche. Welcome to NHL predictions with Last Word on Hockey! Each day, we examine upcoming games, providing predictions and analyzing head-to-head matchups. In today’s prediction article, Sidney Crosby and the Penguins host Nathan MacKinnon and the Avalanche. Be sure to check out more NHL predictions for all the games on Last Word on Hockey!
NHL Predictions
Colorado Avalanche vs. Pittsburgh Penguins
Head-to-Head: Avalanche 0-0 Penguins
Time: 7:00 p.m. Eastern Standard Time (EST); 5:00 p.m. Mountain Standard Time (MST)
TV: ESPN+, Sportsnet+
Both the Pittsburgh Penguins and Colorado Avalanche are hoping to gain some momentum coming into this one. The Penguins are 12-13-4, coming off a 5-3 win against the Toronto Maple Leafs. Meanwhile, the Colorado Avalanche are 16-13-0, with their last game being a 2-1 victory against the Detroit Red Wings.
The Penguins’ Story
Winning five of their last six games, the Penguins are looking to gain some ground in the Wildcard race. Captain Sidney Crosby continues to lead the team in scoring with 27 points in 28 games. Free agent signing Blake Lizotte has been a significant addition to the roster since recovering from injury. He’s scored six goals and nine points in 13 games while playing crucial defensive minutes for the organization. The contributions of Lizotte alongside his linemates Anthony Beauvillier and Michael Bunting has been a big factor in the Penguin’s resurgence as of late.
In net, Tristan Jarry seems to have finally found his footing. He has won his last four starts, with a combined .915 save percentage across these games. He will be a key factor in this game against the Avalanche.
The Avalanche’s Story
A myriad of early season injuries have threatened to derail Colorado’s season. However, their core players have stepped up when needed most. Nathan MacKinnon leads the way with 41 points in 29 games. Behind him, Mikko Rantanen and Cale Makar have had great offensive seasons with 37 and 35 points respectively. There is a steep drop off in points after these three. However, players like Ross Colton and Valeri Nichushkin have been important when healthy.
In net, the Avalanche have made a significant shake-up. Mackenzie Blackwood is coming into Colorado following a move that sent Alex Georgiev to the San Jose Sharks. Blackwood has put up respectable numbers for a rebuilding Sharks team. With a .911 save percentage and a 6-9-3 record, Blackwood stands to remarkably improve the defensive aspect of the Colorado Avalanche.
NHL Predictions
The offensive firepower of the Colorado Avalanche is likely too much for the shaky Penguins defence. Although Jarry is playing well, Pittsburgh tends to give up too many chances to not get punished by such an offensive team.
Prediction: Avalanche win 5-3.
Prop Bets of the Night
FanDuel’s Over 7 at +124 is an enticing option to pick-up given the offensive capabilities of both teams involved.
Main Photo Credit: James Guillory – Imagn Images
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