The Vegas Golden Knights (28-17-14) and Pittsburgh Penguins (30-15-13) meet in the NHL tonight. Puck drop is set for 1:00 p.m. EST at PPG Paints Arena in Pittsburgh, Pa. The game will be broadcast live on TNT.
The Golden Knights are favored by -1.5 on the puck line, with the over/under set at 6.5 (-100o / -120u). The Golden Knights are a -155 favorite to win outright, while the Penguins are +130 to pull off the upset.
Let's get into my Golden Knights vs. Penguins predictions and NHL picks.
Golden Knights vs. Penguins Odds, Pick
| Golden Knights Odds | ||
|---|---|---|
| Spread | Total | Moneyline |
-1.5 +162 | 6.5 -100o / -120u | -155 |
| Penguins Odds | ||
|---|---|---|
| Spread | Total | Moneyline |
+1.5 -196 | 6.5 -100o / -120u | +130 |
- Golden Knights vs. Penguins Puck Line: Golden Knights -1.5 (+162), Penguins +1.5 (-196)
- Golden Knights vs. Penguins Over/Under: 6.5 (-100o / -120u)
- Golden Knights vs. Penguins Moneyline: Golden Knights -155, Penguins +130
Golden Knights vs. Penguins Preview
Vegas Golden Knights
Poor Golden Knights fans have had to wait even longer to watch their team live, as they started the second half of the season with a five game road trip.
Vegas had nearly made a comeback against the Capitals on Friday, so it’ll be imperative to capitalize on a vulnerable Penguins roster.
Hockey fans know that the Golden Knights are a wagon that has been riding a struggle bus lately. They have a three-headed monster with Jack Eichel, Mark Stone, and Mitch Marner and it’s only fair to suggest that the wins will stack back up.
Because since coming back, they’ve played a really strong 5-on-5 game. It’s only a two-game sample, but Vegas ranks fourth in expected goals since returning from the Olympics and defensively ranks eighth.
But the biggest part of the Knights’ game is their power play, as they’re scoring at a fifth-best clip of 25.7%, and are succeeding on the penalty kill at 80.7%.
I do, however, wonder about their goaltending.
It’s such a volatile position for Vegas, and Akira Schmid is doing nothing for this team, but over the past 10 games, Adin Hill has been just as bad, if not worse.
Pittsburgh Penguins
I was curious what to expect with the Penguins after Sidney Crosby went down in the Olympics.
And at one point, it didn’t seem like his absence would be a hindrance after they won against the Devils, 4-1. Furthermore, after pulling away 2-0 against the Rangers on Saturday afternoon, I was sure that they would pull out another win.
Total mush move.
Obviously Crosby significantly boosts Pittsburgh’s value, but I still think this team has value, and the old guys are stepping up.
Bryan Rust is still one of its key contributors, and Evgeni Malkin has had a youthful season. Not just that, I’ve been really encouraged with defenseman Kris Letang.
Even without Crosby, the Penguins played to a fourth best expected goals rate in these two games and defensively, they’ve held their own to an extent.
In net, I’ll expect Arturs Silovs to start in this bout since Stuart Skinner started on Saturday. Silovs looked like a beauty against the Devils after spending a week or two in Milan for Team Latvia, letting up only one goal on 31 shots faced.
Golden Knights vs. Penguins Prediction
Vegas is a really solid team on the road, and Pittsburgh is exceptional at home. So what are we going to do about this?
Back-to-backs have never been much of an issue for the Pens, despite their age, and I wonder if Vegas will be a tad sluggish walking into a game that’s 10 a.m. on the west coast.
Or perhaps I’m just grasping at straws.
But because of Pittsburgh’s solid record on back-to-backs, that’s why its +130 odds on moneyline seem so enticing to me.
On paper, Vegas has most of the advantages, except for the most important one and that’s goaltending.
Silovs is still a bit of a wild card, but I like his potential, especially after shutting down the Devils earlier.
Either Hill or Schmid is a black hole, and will continue to be holding this team back until further notice.
Pick: Penguins Moneyline
