Vancouver vs. Pittsburgh: NHL Match Prediction

Current form

Vancouver was finally able to recover from a terrible start to the season and three losses in a row. The team went on the road, where they won their first regular season victory over Florida in overtime (3:2). The best player of the game was first-line defenseman Hughes, who scored a goal and also made an assist. Then the Canucks went to visit Philadelphia, where they did not allow a single goal, beating the Flyers dry (3:0). This time, goalie Lankinen distinguished himself, stopping all shots, thereby recording the fourth shutout in his career.

The "killer whales" were able to consolidate their success in a duel with a less serious competitor, Chicago, defeating the obvious underdog with a score of 6:3. The most productive player was forward Miller, who earned three goal actions. However, due to a weak start to the regular championship, the team still remains outside the playoff zone, with eight points. It is worth noting that a couple more victories will allow the club to rise much higher, since their closest competitors do not have many more points.

Disqualifications and injuries

Vancouver does not have any serious problems with its roster. Goalkeeper Demko and defensemen Forboth and Poolman are still in the infirmary. A noticeable loss is forward Joshua, who managed to score 40 points last season.

Interesting trends for betting

• Vancouver averages 11 penalty minutes per game

The team has problems with discipline, which leads to a large number of deletions and gives an advantage to opponents.

• The Canucks average 3.4 goals per game.

But the club offensive performance is in perfect order. Vancouver continues to be one of the most active teams in the league.

Current form

Pittsburgh has entered a serious decline that continues to this day. The team did not finish the home series in the best way, losing to Carolina with a score of 1:4. The Penguins' offensive line looked pale, and only managed to make 26 shots at the Hurricanes' goal. Then the team went on the road, where they suffered another defeat at the hands of Winnipeg (3:6). Goalie Nedeljkovic showed his worst side, reflecting only 86% of the shots. The Penguins were almost able to rehabilitate themselves in front of the fans and break the losing streak in the match with Calgary, but allowed the opponent to tie the score just 40 seconds before the final whistle, and then lost in overtime (3:4). Once again, the goalie did not play reliably enough.

There were also some dry defeats. In the away game against Edmonton, Sullivan team played the worst, allowing the opponent to make as many as 50 shots on goal, and they themselves did not score a single puck, which ultimately led to a rout (0:4). Indeed, one of the team main problems at the moment is their low implementation of dangerous moments in attack, which the club creates in sufficient quantities.

Disqualifications and injuries

Remarkably, Pittsburgh continues to play its best lineup, as all key players are in action. Only forwards Lizon and Nieto will not play in the upcoming match.

Interesting trends for betting

• The Penguins are allowing an average of 4.3 goals per game.

The main reason for the Penguins' losses remains their weak defense, and the goalies are unable to provide cover for the team, allowing a large number of goals.

• Pittsburgh averages 32 shots per game

As we have already noted, the team is distinguished by a very active attacking game and consistently makes a large number of shots, but their quality leaves much to be desired.