Pittsburgh ends their regular season with a game in St. Louis. Welcome back to NHL Predictions here with Last Word On Hockey. Each day, we provide in-depth analysis, insights, and predictions for games around the NHL. In tonight’s matchup, the Penguins and the Blues face-off in a cross-conference clash.
NHL Predictions featuring the St. Louis Blues and the Pittsburgh Penguins
Head-to-Head: Stars 1-0 Penguins
How to Watch: TVAS, TVAS+, Sportsnet+, NHL Centre Ice, ESPN, SN-PIT
Time: 9:30 p.m. Eastern Daylight Time (EDT)
Penguins Story
Pittsburgh comes into this game off a 3-0 loss to the Washington Capitals. With the loss, the Penguins have lost two straight and are 6-4-0 in their last 10 games. With an overall record of 41-24-16 coming into the final game of the regular season, Pittsburgh has already clinched the second spot in the Metropolitan Division Stanley Cup Playoffs and will face their cross-state rivals in the Philadelphia Flyers in round one. For Pittsburgh, this final game of the season will be a tune-up ahead of the playoffs, getting used to certain line combinations in the face of injuries.
Credit Image: © Jordan Teller/ISIPhotos via ZUMA Press Wire
One of the biggest players to watch out for in this game is recent acquisition Elmer Soderblom. Traded from the Detroit Red Wings at the trade deadline, Soderblom initially struggled on the Penguins’ third line before finding a home on the fourth. He has four goals and nine points in 19 games with Pittsburgh. Another such forward to watch out for is rookie Avery Hayes. Hayes has appeared in 15 games with the Penguins, scoring three goals in a bottom-six role. From the blueline, Ilya Solovyov is similarly looking to take advantage of the ice time afforded to him as the team rests players. He will try to ensure he stays fourth on the team’s left defensive depth chart, likely the first man up in the case of injuries. Traded from the Colorado Avalanche in January, he has five assists in 13 games with the Penguins.
In net, expect Arturs Silovs to play, as Stuart Skinner is the likely starter heading into the playoffs. Silovs is 19-11-8 with an .889 save percentage this season. However, now is a good time to remind you to always check official lineups before placing any bets.
Blues Story
In what has been an up-and-down season for the St. Louis Blues, they can take solace in the fact that they will be a bottom-10 team in the league and therefore, are likely to pick in the top 10 in this year’s draft. Seeing the writing on the wall early, the Blues moved to offload players like former captain Brayden Schenn to the New York Islanders at the trade deadline. St. Louis is in the midst of a youth movement, with potential moves in the offseason with names like Colton Parayko, Robert Thomas, and Jordan Kyrou being floated around.
Even with all the talk of veterans being shipped out, the future is bright in St. Louis. Forward Dylan Holloway followed up his fantastic inaugural season with the Blues with another productive one. He has 20 goals and 46 points through 56 games, good for second in team scoring. Another big factor in the youth movement is former first-round pick Jimmy Snuggerud. The 21-year-old rookie has scored 18 goals and 44 points in 67 games this season. Defensively, Philip Broberg leads the charge for the youth. In his second season with the Blues, Broberg has produced six goals and 32 points in 78 games. Finally, another young player to watch out for is forward Jake Neighbours. His 14 goals and 33 points through 66 games this season are lower than his previous two seasons’ point totals due to injury. Watch for him to try to end his season on a high note.
Expect Joel Hofer in net. Hofer has become the de facto starter for the team, as the 25-year-old netminder has gone 22-13-5 with a .911 save percentage this season.
Prediction
While the Penguins have seemed to take the last couple of games off following clinching their playoff spot, this final game of the season is a great opportunity to sort out any kinks and gain some momentum going into the postseason. Expect the Penguins to play hard and get the victory in this game.
Prediction: Penguins win 5-3
Prop Bet of the Night
Expecting a high-scoring affair, a popular prop bet of goals over seven.
Main Photo Credit: Jeff Curry-Imagn Images
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