The Penguins visit the Panthers in an Eastern clash. Welcome back to NHL Predictions here on Last Word on Hockey! Each day, we provide in-depth analysis, insights, and predictions for all the NHL’s games. In today’s matchup, the Pittsburgh Penguins visit the Florida Panthers at Amerant Bank Arena. Pittsburgh is looking to build off a win against the Columbus Blue Jackets, while the Panthers battle for valuable points in the Atlantic Division race.
NHL Predictions
Pittsburgh Penguins vs. Florida Panthers
Head-to-Head: Panthers 1-1 Penguins
Time: 6:00 p.m. Eastern Daylight Time (EDT)
TV: Sportsnet+; Sportsnet (Canada); Scripps Florida; ESPN+
This will be the third meeting between these teams this season. Pittsburgh won the first game 5-4 in December, and the Panthers took the second 3-2 in January.
The Penguins’ Story
A recent surge has improved the Penguins record to 29-32-10. A few weeks ago, the Penguins were in danger of ranking as low as fourth-last in the league. Now, the team is six points back of Montreal in the wildcard race. While it is highly unlikely they make up the gap and earn a spot in the playoffs, the teams play overall is trending upwards.
As has been the case this season, the Penguins have been carried offensively by their top line. Sidney Crosby, Rickard Rakell and Bryan Rust lead the Penguins in scoring. Crosby, looking for his 20th straight point-per-game season, has scored 76 points in 69 games. Rakell has continued his excellent bounce-back season, now at 32 goals and 61 points through 70 games. Rust rounds out the trio with 51 points in 60 games. The Panthers will need to shut down this red hot line in order to gain much-needed points.
The Panthers’ Story
The Florida Panthers are in the midst of a furious battle for the top spot in the Atlantic Division. It is currently a three-team race, with the Panthers being tied with the Toronto Maple Leafs with 87 points atop the division. Behind them, the Tampa Bay Lightning lag behind by just two points, while having a game in hand on both Florida and Toronto. With a 7-3-0 record in their last 10, the Panthers are the hottest of these three teams recently, a trend that will need to continue if they wish to avoid a gruelling first-round matchup.
The Panthers have some key players out of the lineup at the moment. Matthew Tkachuk and Brad Marchand are out with injury, while Aaron Ekblad is unable to play due to an issue with using banned substances. With these subtractions, Sam Reinhart and Aleksander Barkov have led Florida. Reinhart leads the team with 33 goals and 73 points in 69 games. Behind him, the elite two-way centre Barkov has 63 points in 59 games. Playing against a defensively anemic Penguins squad, it’ll be up to the skill players on Florida to breakthrough the Pittsburgh defence.
Prediction
Pittsburgh has been rolling recently, but even in many of their wins, issues like the inability to hold a lead have been prevalent. Expect the Panthers to put their best foot forward in a crucial game for their playoff positioning.
Prediction: Panthers win 5-3.
Prop Bet for the Night
We close out NHL Predictions with some prop bets of the night. Total Goals Over 7 (+182): Given the Penguins’ defensive lapses and the Panthers’ potent offense, a high-scoring game is anticipated.
Main photo by: Rich Storry-Imagn Images
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The post NHL Predictions: March 23 Pittsburgh Penguins at Florida Panthers appeared first on Last Word On Hockey.