Pittsburgh Penguins and Chicago Blackhawks are set for a Tuesday night showdown at the United Center in Chicago.
The Penguins are off to a 3-2-1 start, and are coming off a 2-1 shootout victory over the Stars in their last outing, while the Blackhawks are 1-5-0 and lost 5-2 to the Hurricanes on Saturday.
Puck drop for this matchup is slated for 8 p.m. ET.
Pittsburgh Penguins vs. Chicago Blackhawks betting picks and predictions
Penguins ML (-144)
After winning their first two games of the season over the Flyers and Canadiens, the Penguins suffered a three-game losing streak last week.
But they were able to snap that with a 2-1 shootout win over the Stars on Saturday in Pittsburgh. After getting some momentum back, the Penguins seem to be in a favorable position to pick up another win in this contest against Chicago.
The Penguins have a much higher offensive ceiling than the Blackhawks, which should propel them to victory. Pittsburgh is scoring 3.50 goals per game to start the new season, which ranks seventh in the NHL, while the Blackhawks are managing just 2.00 goals per game, which ranks 29th.
The Blackhawks could potentially get a boost if Connor Bedard is able to make his season debut, but given the significance of his injury, it may take some time before he is back into a rhythm. Plus, the supporting cast around him is still lacking.
The Penguins already have four different skaters with five points, and three more with four. Conversely, the Blackhawks have just one skater with four points.
Pittsburgh has a much more well-rounded attack, which gives them the edge in this one.
Under 6.5 (-115)
Even if Bedard is able to return, it may take some time to develop chemistry with his linemates.
Bedard is reportedly slated to center Chicago’s top line alongside Patrick Kane and Roman Kantserov. Both are newcomers, as Kane returned to the Blackhawks in the offseason while Kantserov is a rookie with just six NHL games under his belt.
Playing alongside them for the first time, it would be surprising to see Bedard and company light the lamp at a high clip.
The Blackhawks have also been extremely woeful on the power play to start the new season. Chicago’s man advantage is clicking at a 7.1% rate, which ranks 31st in the NHL. The Penguins rank third with a penalty kill percentage of 94.1%, so the Blackhawks could have a tough time finding the back of the net in all situations.
The Penguins have a better offensive outlook, but enter this matchup having scored just three total goals over their last two games. Pittsburgh is also 0-for-12 on the power play over its last four games.
With a total of 6.5, consider the under.
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Pittsburgh Penguins vs. Chicago Blackhawks odds
Penguins | -144 |
Blackhawks | +122 |
Puck Line | CHI Blackhawks +1.5 |
Total | O/U 6.5 |
Pittsburgh Penguins vs. Chicago Blackhawks player props
Anytime goalscorer
Connor Bedard (CHI Blackhawks) | +155 |
Sidney Crosby (PIT Penguins) | +195 |
Bryan Rust (PIT Penguins) | +200 |
Rickard Rakell (PIT Penguins) | +205 |
Tyler Bertuzzi (CHI Blackhawks) | +225 |
Patrick Kane (CHI Blackhawks) | +230 |
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This article was written by a partner sports writer via Spotlight Sports Group. All odds displayed on this page were correct at the time of writing and are subject to withdrawal or change at any time.
