Little Caesars Arena is playing host an Eastern Conference matchup as the Pittsburgh Penguins travel to Motor City to meet the Detroit Red Wings. It’s the third and final time that the two clubs will meet in the regular season. The matchup gets underway at 7:30 p.m. ET on Tuesday, March 27, and you are able to watch it live on TVA Sports.
Pittsburgh Penguins at Detroit Red Wings Odds
Pittsburgh enters the contest as the heavy favorite with a moneyline of -220. The line for Detroit sits at +180 and the Over/Under (O/U) is set at an even 6 goals. The odds for betting the total stand at -105 for the over and -115 on the under.
Pittsburgh is 43-33 straight up (SU) and has lost 1.9 units for moneyline bettors this year. 43 of its contests have gone over the total, while 31 have gone under and just two have pushed. This 2017-18 Penguins team is 15-23 SU on the road.
Pittsburgh enters the match up with the first-best power-play unit in the NHL, as it’s found the net on 26.2 percent of its extra-man opportunities this season. Its penalty kill is ranked 18th in the league, and it’s successfully killed off 80.2 percent of its penalties.
The Pens, as a collective unit, have been sent to the penalty box 4.0 times per game overall this season, 3.4 per game over its last five games total, and 3.6 per game over its last five games as the visiting team. The team has been forced to stave off opponent power plays just 7.3 minutes per game over their last 10 outings.
With a .908 save percentage and 26.4 saves per game, Matt Murray (26-18-3) has been the primary option in goal for Pittsburgh this season. If Pittsburgh decides to rest him, however, the team might roll with Tristan Jarry (15-11-2 record, .908 save percentage, 2.77 goals against average).
Evgeni Malkin and Phil Kessel will both be relied on to facilitate things for the visiting Penguins. Malkin (92 points) has tallied 42 goals and 50 assists, and has recorded multiple points in 25 different games. Kessel has 30 goals and 55 assists to his creditand has logged a point in 53 games.
Detroit is 27-49 straight up (SU) and has lost 18.1 units for moneyline bettors thus far. 43 of its games have gone under the total, while 30 have gone over and just two have pushed. It’s 14-23 SU at home this season.
The Red Wings have converted on just 17.1 percent of their power play chances this year, a figure that places them in the bottom 10 overall among NHL teams. Its penalty kill is also ranked 24th overall, and it’s successfully killed off 77.9 percent of all penalties.
Red Wings players have been sent to the penalty box 3.8 times per game in total this season, and 4.6 per game over their last five games. The team’s been forced to defend opponent power plays just 7.2 minutes per contest over their last five home games.
Jimmy Howard (26.6 saves per game) has been the primary choice in goal for the Red Wings. Howard has 19 wins, 37 losses, and eight overtime losses and has registered a pedestrian 2.88 goals against average and a poor .909 save percentage this season.
The Wings offense will be led by Dylan Larkin (12 goals, 42 assists).
Pittsburgh Penguins vs. Detroit Red Wings Betting Picks
NHL Tip: SU Winner – Red Wings, O/U – Under
Notes
Betting Notes
Over Detroit’s last ten outings, six of them have been decided by two or more goals (the team is 0-6 in those games).
Extra-man opportunities may be critical tonight. The Penguins are 20-11 when they serve fewer penalty minutes than their opponent and 27-21 in games where they serve fewer than 10 total penalty minutes. The Red Wings are 9-16 when they serve fewer penalty minutes than the opposition and 19-31 when they’re in the box for less than 10 minutes.
Pittsburgh is 2-2 in games decided by a shootout this season while Detroit is 5-1 in shootouts.
The over has hit in three of Detroit’s last five games.
Detroit has given up 3.0 goals per game (while scoring just 1.7 per contest) on its three-game losing skid.
Detroit skaters have averaged 12.6 giveaways over its last five home games, a rise over its season average of 10.5 giveaways per game (ranked 25th in the NHL).
Pittsburgh is ranked 13th this season with 8.9 giveaways per game. That figure has trended higher, as it’s averaged 11.4 giveaways over its last 10 games and 11.8 giveaways over its last five.
Pittsburgh skaters have dished out the league’s eighth-most hits per game (23.8), but that number’s down to just 20.4 hits over their last five away games.
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