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Predators vs Penguins Prediction, Game Preview, Live Stream, Odds and Picks
Playoff Battles Heating Up
Penguins Favored Over the Predators
The Pittsburgh Penguins will look to bounce back on Thursday night when they welcome the Nashville Predators to the PPG Paints Arena.
The pressure is mounting in both camps as the Penguins and Predators find themselves mired in their respective conference’s battles for a wild card spot.
The Penguins have the home-ice advantage and the edge on the betting online board. But the Predators will be looking to defy the NHL odds for a second game in a row after upsetting the first-place Boston Bruins on Tuesday night.
Read on as we weigh in on this fascinating matchup and serve up choice NHL picks for your consideration.
Penguins Clinging On
Pittsburgh is clinging on to the second and final wild card in the Eastern Conference behind a 36-28-10 record and 82 points from 74 games. The Penguins are three points clear of the Florida Panthers (79 points), who nip at their heels in the race to the postseason.
Recent form is cause for concern as the Penguins drop yet another chaotic game and slip to a 4-6-0 record in their last 10 games. The Red Wings diced up Pittsburgh’s defense and outshot and outhit the Penguins offense in a back-and-forth, 11-goal thriller in Detroit.
The Red Wings came out with a verve and swagger, firing three goals past Casey DeSmith to take the 3-0 lead in the first period. The Pittsburgh Penguins recovered in the second period, scoring three unanswered goals – two on the power play – to level the score 3-3 before the final period.
Detroit left winger David Perron scored the first of his third-period hat trick to give the hosts the 4-3 lead. Josh Archibald responded at 5:26 for Pittsburgh, thus knotting up the game at 4-4. But then the floodgates opened as Perron scored twice and Dylan Larkin added an empty-net goal in a wild finish.
The Penguins fall to the Red Wings on the road, 7-4. pic.twitter.com/YA64juRdzv
— Pittsburgh Penguins (@penguins) March 29, 2023
Predators Upset Bruins
Nashville’s playoff hopes received a boost on Tuesday night following a narrow 2-1 win over the Boston Bruins at TD Garden, coming through as the distinct underdogs in NHL betting markets.
Nashville Predators improved to 37-28-8 with 82 points from 73 games. They are three points adrift of the Winnipeg Jets (85 points), who currently hold the second and final wild card in the Western Conference.
Nashville snapped a two-game losing streak on Tuesday night to improve to 5-4-1 in their last 10 games. Cody Glass opened the scoring for the Predators in the second period and Cole Smith scored Nashville’s second goal at 18:41 in the third, capitalizing on Pittsburgh’s empty net. David Pastrnak scored the lone goal for the hosts at 19:58, but it was too little too late.
Preds win 💛 pic.twitter.com/hrO9KpuFsC
— Nashville Predators (@PredsNHL) March 29, 2023
Predators vs Penguins Game Injuries
Predators vs Penguins Head-to-Head
Nashville is 3-5-2 in its last 10 games against Pittsburgh while the Penguins are 7-2-1 versus the Predators over the same period. The total has gone under in seven of these 10 games at the sportsbook exchange.
The Penguins have the 1-0 head-to-head edge in this matchup, having beaten the Predators 3-1 in Music City on Feb. 28.
Predators vs Penguins Game Information
- Game: Predators (37-28-8) vs Penguins (36-28-10-0)
- Location:PPG Paints Arena, Pittsburgh
- Day/Time: Thursday, March 30, 7:07 p.m. ET
- Predators vs Penguins Live Stream: NHL.TV
Predators vs Penguins Betting Lines
Predators vs Penguins Picks and Prediction
With the Predators and Penguins in similar positions, the premium on the win can’t be understated. Nashville underscored its upset credentials by handing the Bruins only their fourth regulation home loss of the season. Goalie Juuse Saros was the hero of the night, denying Boston’s electric offense at every turn.
Defense is Nashville’s strength and it is the area where it can compete with Pittsburgh. The Penguins’ offense is potent but, at the same time, their defense is letting them down. For the Penguins to have a shot to win, they’ll need to be more consistent at both ends of the ice.
Betting Pittsburgh on the moneyline is a bit pricey (see breakdown below), while backing Nashville for the upset isn’t a sure bet, either. Thus, the value bet here is the total with a flutter on the under.
Pittsburgh is listed at -200 in our NHL lines. So, if you wager $100 on the Penguins, there’s a chance to win $50. Nashville is +170, with a chance to win $170 on a $100 wager. The implied probability attached to the betting lines gives Pittsburgh a 66.67% chance to win, with the Predators at 37.04%.
