Nashville Predators at Pittsburgh Penguins

By Sam Batz

In the dying embers of the NHL’s regular season, two teams continue their fight for postseason glory. The Nashville Predators and Pittsburgh Penguins face off on Thursday, March 30th (7:00 PM EST, NHLPP/ESPN+) in a must win game for both teams. The Predators and Penguins are on the outside looking in on the playoffs, and with less than 10 games remaining on the schedule, they can’t afford to leave points on the table. Nashville and Pittsburgh are evenly matched sides, and with the added pressure of playoff contention looming over the ice, this matchup will be a thrilling contest. Opening odds favor the Penguins at -200, while the Predators are priced at +165. 

Nashville Predators Barely Holding On

The Predators are 37-28-8 with 82 points through 73 games. They are 5th in the Central Division and 10th in the Western Conference. Nashville went 5-4-1 (11 pts) in their last 10 games but are coming off a massive 2-1 win over the league leading Boston Bruins on Tuesday. The win snapped a two game losing streak, and although it was a significant victory, the Predators offensive struggles were evident. Nashville scored 2 or fewer goals in 8 of their last 10 games, averaging just 2.75 goals per game on the season, and unless the Predators offense improves dramatically, qualifying for the playoffs seems unlikely. 

Pittsburgh Penguins Fly Under The Radar

The Pittsburgh Penguins are 36-28-10 with 82 points through 74 games. They are 5th in the highly competitive Metropolitan Division and 8th in the Eastern Conference. After going 4-6-0 in their last 10 games, the Penguins have a 71% chance to make the playoffs. Pittsburgh is coming off a crushing 4-7 defeat against the Detroit Red Wings on Tuesday, but will look to bounce back against a Nashville side whom they beat 3-1 earlier this year. The Pittsburgh Penguins haven’t missed the playoffs since 2006, but are teetering on the edge of elimination, meaning every game from here on out could mean the difference between Stanley Cup contention or a season cut short. 

Predators vs. Penguins Odds

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Predators vs. Penguins: Season Stats

Predators vs. Penguins: Betting Trends

Predators vs. Penguins: Game Changers

Nashville Predators

• The Predators averaged 2.40 goals per game in their last 10 matchups; Goals: 24, Goals Against: 32, Shots/Game: 24.5, Shots Against/Game: 32.3
• Matt Duchene (Center) leads the team with 22 goals, he is the only Predator with 20+ goals on the season 
• Roman Josi (Defender) leads Nashville with 59 points (18 goals, 41 assists) but is listed as Day-to-Day
• 27-year old Juuse Saros from Finland is the Predators top Goaltender with a 29-20-7 record, 2.77 goals against average, and a 91.6% save-rate

Pittsburgh Penguins

• The Penguins averaged 3.00 goals per game in their last 10 matchups; Goals: 30, Goals Against: 36. Shots/Game: 39.0, Shots Against/Game: 28.5
• Sidney Crosby (Center) and Jake Guentzel (Left Wing) combined for 64 goals and 88 assists; Crosby leads the Penguins with 85 points
• The Penguins have 5 players with 20+ goals on the season
• Tristan Jarry and Casey DeSmith split time between the sticks; Jarry is 21-10-6 with a 2.98 GA/G average, DeSmith is 14-16-4 with a 3.20 GA/G average

Predators vs. Penguins Prediction

Take Nashville to cover the spread (-160). The Predators and Penguins are evenly matched and I expect the final score to reflect that. Pittsburgh is better on offense, while Nashville is better on defense. These opposing forces will cancel each other out, and while the eventual winner is difficult to predict, I am confident it will be a close game. The Predators like to keep it close and the Penguins are floundering after their blowout loss on Tuesday, but with the playoffs looming, neither side will want to lose, and are going to fight hard to stay in the race. 

Prediction: Nashville Predators Cover (+1.5) 

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