NHL Odds, Preview, Prediction: Penguins vs Panthers (Friday, December 8)
Bruce Bennett/Getty Images. Pictured: Erik Karlsson #65 of the Pittsburgh Penguins
Penguins vs. Panthers Odds
| Penguins Odds | +134 |
| Panthers Odds | -162 |
| Over / Under | 6.5 -110 / -110 |
Following a 5-4 win over the Dallas Stars on Wednesday, the Florida Panthers will wrap up a three-game homestand when the Pittsburgh Penguins visit Amerant Bank Arena on Friday night.
It will be the first of three meetings this year between the two teams.
In desperate need of points, the Penguins have scored just two goals in two games on their current road trip – an overtime loss in Philadephia and then a regulation defeat in Tampa.
With their power play reaching absurd levels of futility, bettors have good incentive to look for them to bump that slump against the Panthers.
Here's a look at the Penguins vs. Panthers odds and prediction for Friday, Dec. 8.
After missing the playoffs last spring for the first time since Sidney Crosby's rookie year, the Penguins have continued on the same mediocre path this season. They're winless in their last three games (0-1-2) and, with a .500 record, are hovering just outside of the playoff picture in the East.
Defensively, they've been good. They're allowing just 2.60 goals per game, tied for fourth-best in the league heading into Thursday's games.
The Penguins' team save percentage of .932 is fifth-best and all three of their goalies are positive in goals saved above expected, with starter Tristan Jarry at a solid 6.8.
They're also controlling play well at 5-on-5, with an expected goals share of 52.4%, and their penalty killing is just outside the top 10.
But even though they've got four players in double-digit goals, led by Crosby with 15, they're averaging less than three goals a game. And despite having added one of the best power-play quarterbacks in the league in Erik Karlsson, the power play has now dropped to 30th overall thanks to a 12-game goal drought.
The club is now at 0-for-33 and counting with the man advantage.
Karlsson has 19 points in 25 games and is a solid plus-12 with the Penguins while averaging more than 24 minutes a game. But he has four power-play points. His only teammate with more is Evgeni Malkin, with six of his 21 points coming with the man advantage.
Injuries have been an issue – the Pens are expected to be without Bryan Rust, Rickard Rakell and Noel Acciari up front against the Panthers. But beyond its top offensive threats, secondary scoring has been hard to come by.
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Life is a little more comfortable for the Panthers, who have built themselves a nice playoff cushion despite missing some key players through the early part of the season.
They're healthy now, and they're 3-1-1 in their last five games.
Florida has the same defensive strength as Pittsburgh – also at 2.60 goals against per game. The penalty kill is a couple of ticks weaker, but goaltending has been solid with Sergei Bobrovsky at a .910 save percentage and Anthony Stolarz at .917.
Offensively, the Panthers are a little better than the Penguins, averaging 3.08 goals per game and with a decent 18.5% power play. But beyond Sam Reinhart's sizzling start with 17 goals and 32 points, Carter Verhaeghe is the only other scorer in double digits, with 12.
Former Penguin Evan Rodrigues has been a nice addition, with 20 points, and Oliver Ekman-Larsson did a good job helping to steady the defense while Aaron Ekblad and Brandon Montour were sidelined. He has now dropped back to less than 20 minutes a game in a third-pairing role.
Florida's puck-possession game is also similar to Pittsburgh's with an expected goals share of 52.65%.
Penguins vs. Panthers
Betting Pick & Prediction
All things considered, these two teams are in pretty similar spots. The seven points that separate them in the standings pretty much come down to one thing: Pittsburgh's power-play problems.
Accordingly, the home side is significantly favored on Friday. But moneyline odds in the range of -160 imply an expected win for Florida more than 60% of the time. That seems high for two teams with such similar profiles.
With the talent they have, the Penguins' power-play woes can't last forever.
They won't necessarily snap out of it in Sunrise. But with odds of up to +135 available as of Thursday evening, there's plenty of incentive for bettors to look for the road 'dogs to finally have a long-awaited change of fortune.
Pick: Penguins ML (+134 via FanDuel) | Play to: +125
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