PPG Paints Arena will be the site for an East-West matchup as the Minnesota Wild visit Western PA to meet the Pittsburgh Penguins. It’s the last time that these two clubs will meet in the regular season. Fox Sports North will showcase the action, which gets underway at 7 p.m. ET on Thursday, January 25.
Minnesota Wild at Pittsburgh Penguins Odds
Pittsburgh (-150) is currently favored over Minnesota (+130), and the oddsmakers have set the Over/Under (O/U) at 6 goals (-120 under, +100 over). Those O/U odds have moved after initially opening at -105 over, -115 under.
Losing 5.2 units for moneyline bettors, Pittsburgh is 26-24 straight up (SU) overall this year. That winning percentage, ranked third in the Metropolitan Division so far this season, is a slide from what the team recorded during last year’s regular season (50-32). Of the team’s 50 games this season, 24 have gone over the total, while another 24 have gone under and just two have pushed. This season, the team is 16-8 SU at home.
The Penguins enter the matchup with the second-best power-play unit in the NHL, as the team has found the net on 26.3 percent of their extra-man advantages this year. On the other hand, their penalty kill is ranked eighth overall, and they’ve successfully killed off 82.9 percent of all penalties.
As a team, the Penguins have been called for penalties 4.2 times per game overall this season, and 3.4 per game over their last five at home. The team’s had to stave off opposition power plays for 9.0 minutes per game over their last five home outings.
With a .903 save percentage and 24.7 saves per game, Matt Murray (17-14-1) has been the primary goalkeeper for Pittsburgh this season. If the Pens, however, decide to give him the night off, Pittsburgh might roll with Tristan Jarry (10-8-8 record, .919 save percentage, 2.44 goals against average).
Phil Kessel and Sidney Crosby will both lead the way for the Penguins. Kessel (55 points) has tallied 21 goals and 34 assists and has recorded two or more points in 14 different games this year. Crosby has 17 goals and 35 assists to his name and has recorded at least one point in 31 contests.
Minnesota is 26-22 straight up (SU) and has lost 0.0 units for moneyline bettors thus far. A total of 24 of its outings have gone over the total, while 22 have gone under and just two have pushed. As an away team so far, the Wild are 9-14 SU.
The Wild have converted on 19.9 percent of their power play chances this year, a mark that’s right around league average. On the other hand, its penalty kill unit is ranked seventh overall and it’s successfully killed off 83.1 percent of all penalties.
Minnesota’s players have been penalized 4.2 times per game this season, and 2.4 per game over their past five contests. The team’s been forced to kill penalties just 8.9 minutes per game over their last 10 outings.
Devan Dubnyk (28.1 saves per game) has been the main option in goal for Minnesota. Dubnyk has 19 wins, 12 losses, and three overtime losses to his credit, and has registered a .919 save percentage and 2.59 goals against average this year.
Eric Staal (19 goals, 22 assists) and Mikael Granlund (14 goals, 24 assists) have been standout playmakers for Minnesota and will pace the offensive counter for the visiting Wild.
Minnesota Wild vs. Pittsburgh Penguins Betting Predictions
Predictions: SU Winner – Penguins, O/U – Over
Notes
Betting Notes
Eight of Pittsburgh’s last ten games have been decided by two or more goals. The club is 6-2 overall in those games.
The Penguins are 12-10 SU when they serve more penalty minutes than their opponent while the Wild are 14-12 SU in games where they serve more minutes than the opposition.
Pittsburgh is 2-1 in games decided by a shootout this season while Minnesota is 2-1 in shootouts.
The under has hit in three of Pittsburgh’s last five outings.
Pittsburgh has averaged 4.4 giveaways over its last five home games, an improvement from its season average of 8.4 giveaways per game (the 10th-fewest in the league).
Minnesota is ranked second this season with just 5.9 giveaways per game. That figure has trended down lately, however, as it’s averaged 4.4 giveaways over its last 10 games and 4.6 giveaways over its last five.
The Penguins this season have registered the fourth-most hits in the league (24.4 per game), but the team’s averaged 32.0 over their last five games as the home team.
