Utah continues its fight for a spot in the playoffs, despite being in 11th place in the conference. The team has earned 49 points from 49 games, and while the chances of making the postseason remain, maintaining momentum is crucial. The past month has been tough for the “Newcomers,” with only three wins out of the last eight games. However, it’s worth mentioning that before Christmas, the team showed promising form. A notable example is their dominant 4-0 win over Minnesota, but following that, they suffered defeats to Winnipeg and Ottawa. It’s been a bit of a slump, but there’s still hope for the team to bounce back.
Key Players:
Team Strengths: Utah has proven itself as a capable attacking team, even if they don’t generate a ton of chances. Still, they’ve managed to convert 10.3% of their shots on average, which is quite respectable. Goaltender Karel Vejmelka has earned the trust of both his teammates and the coaching staff, boasting a solid save percentage of 91.19%. His steady performance will be essential as the team looks to regain form.
Injuries and Suspensions: Shawn Durzi and Dylan Guenther will miss the upcoming game, which is a blow to the team’s depth.
Pittsburgh is fighting to climb out of the bottom half of the standings, currently sitting in 15th place in the conference with 48 points from 52 games. January has been a particularly rough month, with the team losing 11 of their last 14 games. However, they did start their recent road trip with wins over Buffalo (5-2) and Los Angeles (5-1), only to falter again in their next four outings. They’ve struggled to convert chances and have been unable to maintain consistency, scoring just 9 goals in their last five games.
Key Players:
Team Strengths: Pittsburgh’s strength lies in their ability to win faceoffs, with a solid win rate of 51.9%. However, their defense continues to be a significant issue, with the team allowing an average of 3.67 goals per game, making them the worst defensive team in the Eastern Conference. Moreover, they have had issues in the crease, with their goaltending performing below expectations.
Injuries and Suspensions: Evgeni Malkin will not be traveling with the team for the upcoming game. Brandon Lizzotte’s participation is uncertain.
Utah has the opportunity to capitalize on Pittsburgh’s defensive struggles and inconsistent play to secure a victory in this matchup. Despite missing a couple of key players, Utah appears more balanced overall, particularly with their top players leading the charge. On the other hand, Pittsburgh’s inability to defend effectively and their shaky goaltending put them at a disadvantage.
Prediction: Utah will win by a margin of 1-2 goals. With Pittsburgh’s ongoing issues in defense and goaltending, Utah has a good chance of securing the win, especially with their offensive leaders like Clayton Keller stepping up.
Utah showed strong performances at the start of the second half of January, securing three wins against tough conference opponents. However, the newcomers lost a bit of steam at the end of their recent road trip, suffering two defeats and scoring just three goals. Despite this, they should be able to beat Pittsburgh, who are currently in poor form. The Penguins have struggled on the road, suffering heavy losses in their recent games. On top of that, Evgeni Malkin has been injured, further weakening Pittsburgh's offensive capabilities. We believe in the success of Andre Tourigny’s team. We’ll place a bet on the home team to win with a zero handicap.
Bookmakers give the odds of 2.10 for Utah, 4.30 for a draw, and 2.90 for Pittsburgh. Total over 5.5 goals is offered at 1.75, total under is at 2.10
Our prediction: Utah to win with an Asian handicap (0) at 2.10
