Media by Associated Press – Pittsburgh Penguins’ Kris Letang skates during the third period of an NHL hockey game against the Buffalo Sabres in Pittsburgh, Saturday, Dec. 10, 2022. (AP Photo/Gene J. Puskar)
The NHL schedule is starting to heat up as some teams are showing what they are made of. As the trade deadline nears, people will attempt to use the next couple of weeks to see if they want to add pieces in preparation for a Stanley Cup run. Here’s a look at a few solid matchups on Monday night between playoff contenders.
Pittsburgh Penguins
The Penguins looked early in the season like their star-studded aging lineup was on its last legs. Pittsburgh also suffered a big loss when Kris Letang had another stroke and will be out for an undetermined amount of time. However, the Penguins have gathered themselves together and have been scoring at a good clip.
Pittsburgh, which is -129 to win Monday night, is on a five-game winning streak and will host the Dallas Stars. The Penguins rank seventh in the league in scoring, putting up 3.6 points per game. Dallas ranks third in the league in scoring and has an excellent penalty kill.
The Penguins will hold off the Stars to grab their sixth straight win.
Edmonton Oilers
The Oilers are in the top Wild Card spot right now and have won two straight games. Edmonton only has a two-point lead over Minnesota, which are -122 favorites against the Oilers. Edmonton has been good away from home, compiling a 7-5 record.
Minnesota is 7-6 at home. What has held the Oilers back is their defense. Edmonton only kills 69.9 percent of its opponent’s power plays, which ranks 28th in the league. The Oilers also allow 3.5 goals per game. Edmonton has been able to keep pace by having the top power play of the league, scoring 31.6 percent of its power-play chances.
Minnesota has lost two of its last three games, including a 5-2 loss to the Oilers on December 9 on the road. The Wild doesn’t stand out in many categories. Minnesota does a good job of limiting opponents’ scoring opportunities, only allowing 30.2 shots per game.
St. Louis Blues
The Blues and Nashville Predators are both searching for momentum. St. Louis and Nashville have both lost two consecutive games and are outside of the playoff picture. The Blues did give the defending Stanley Cup champion Colorado Avalanche a tough game last night, dropping a 3-2 decision in overtime.
St. Louis has struggled all season, especially on the penalty kill. The Blues are last in the league, only stopping their opponents on the penalty kill 63.8 percent of the time. Nashville doesn’t necessarily have the tools to punish St. Louis’ weaknesses.
The Predators are only scoring 16.7 percent of the time on the power play. Nashville also hasn’t been successful in finishing scoring opportunities, only putting up 2.6 goals per game, which ranks 29th.
Make sure to stay tuned for more NHL betting picks and previews!