Nationwide Arena plays host to an enticing showdown as the Pittsburgh Penguins travel to Ohio to take on the Columbus Blue Jackets. The opening face-off takes place at 7 p.m. ET on Friday, November 29, and fans at home can watch this Metro Division matchup live on AT&T SportsNet Pittsburgh.
Pittsburgh Penguins at Columbus Blue Jackets Odds
Pittsburgh (-125) is favored over Columbus (+105) and the Over/Under (O/U) has been set at 6 goals. If you want to play this game’s total, you’ll be looking at odds of -105 money on the over and -115 on the under.
Pittsburgh is 14-11 straight up (SU) and has lost 0.3 units for moneyline bettors this year. Through 25 regular season contests, 13 of its games have gone under the total, while 11 have gone over and just one has pushed. The Pens are 4-6 SU as a road team in 2019-20.
Pittsburgh has converted on 18.1 percent of its power play chances this season, a figure that’s right around league average. On the other hand, it has the ninth-best penalty kill in the league, and it’s successfully killed off 84.4 percent of its penalties.
For the team as a whole, Pittsburgh has been sent to the penalty box just 3.0 times per game during the 2019-20 season, and 4.2 per game over its past five match ups. The team has been forced to defend opponent power plays just 6.5 minutes per game over their last 10 outings.
With a .901 save percentage and 24.1 saves per game, Matt Murray (10-9-4) has been the primary option in goal for Pittsburgh this year. If head coach Mike Sullivan chooses to rest him, however, Pittsburgh may go with Tristan Jarry (5-3 record, .938 save percentage, 2.01 goals against average).
Jake Guentzel and Evgeni Malkin will both lead the way for the visiting Penguins. Guentzel (25 points) is up to 14 goals and 11 assists, and has recorded two or more points four times. Malkin has six goals and 13 assists to his nameand has logged a point in nine games.
On the other side of the ice, Columbus is 10-14 straight up (SU) and has lost 3.4 units for moneyline bettors thus far. Through 24 regular season outings, 14 of its games have gone under the total, while nine have gone over and just one has pushed. It’s 7-7 SU at home this year.
Columbus has converted on 19.2 percent of its power play chances this season, a figure that’s right around league average. On the other hand, its penalty kill is ranked 21st overall, and it’s successfully killed off 80.3 percent of all opponent power plays.
The Blue Jackets have been penalized only 3.3 times per game this season, 3.2 per game over their last five games total, and 3.2 per game over their last five at home. The team has been forced to defend opponent power plays just 8.1 minutes per game over their last 10 outings.
Joonas Korpisalo (25.3 saves per game) has been the primary selection in goal for Columbus. Korpisalo has 10 wins, nine losses, and one overtime loss to his credit and has maintained a poor .901 save percentage and 2.88 goals against average this season.
Pierre-Luc Dubois (10 goals, seven assists) will lead the attack for the Blue Jackets.
Pittsburgh Penguins at Columbus Blue Jackets Free Picks
Prediction: SU Winner – Blue Jackets, O/U – Over
Betting Notes
- For both of these clubs, the over has hit in three of their last five outings.
- The Blue Jackets are 2-5 SU in games where they serve more penalty minutes than their opponent while the Penguins are 6-3 SU when they serve more minutes than the opposition.
- Columbus is ranked 22nd in the NHL this season with 6.9 takeaways per game. That figure’s trended lower lately, however, as it has averaged 5.7 takeaways over its last 10 games and 6.4 takeaways over its last five.
- Pittsburgh has averaged 3.6 goals per game overall this year, but has upped it to 5.0 per match up over their three-game winning streak.
- Pittsburgh is ranked 14th in the league with 7.7 takeaways per game. That figure has trended higher, as the team has forced 9.8 takeaways over its last 10 games and 9.6 takeaways over its last five.
