The Vegas Golden Knights hit Steel City on Thursday for a date with the Pittsburgh Penguins.
The Golden Knights snapped their two-game losing streak on Monday against the Columbus Blue Jackets in the team’s first shootout of the season. It was the first of a four-game East Coast swing that will see them also play Detroit and Boston.
The Penguins are on a two-game losing streak, with losses coming to Carolina and Toronto, but had won five straight games before that.
Can the Penguins get back on track or will Vegas win its second straight on the road? Keep reading our NHL picks and predictions for Golden Knights vs. Penguins to find out.
Golden Knights vs Penguins best odds
Golden Knights vs Penguins picks and predictions
The Vegas Golden Knights have cooled a bit from their hot start to open the season when they won 13 of their first 15 games. They've since lost five of nine.
The offensive production hasn’t really fallen off that much. They are ninth in goals scored, averaging 3.42 a game. In their last five games (3-2 SU), the Golden Knights scored three or more goals in three of them. Vegas is 15-1 on the season when it scores three or more goals and just 2-6 when it doesn't.
The Pittsburgh Penguins are 17th in the NHL in goals against, with an average of 3.17 per game. The team has an aging squad and has focused more on a defensive brand of hockey.
That took a big hit when Kris Letang was put on injury reserve on Tuesday. The veteran defenseman suffered a stroke on Monday and is expected to be out indefinitely. The 35-year-old anchored the first line on defense, along with Marcus Pettersson. He was also on the first power-play unit and was third on the team in assists.
The Knights are without a veteran defenseman as well. Alex Pietrangelo will miss his second straight game due to personal reasons after scoring 15 points in the month of November. The loss didn’t seem to slow down Vegas, who defeated Columbus on Monday in a shootout.
The good news for the Penguins is two other veterans are playing well. Sidney Crosby is seventh in the league in points with 31 and teammate Evgeni Malkin is third on the team with 20.
The Penguins, though favored in this game, could be ripe for an upset, having lost two straight games, albeit to winning teams in Toronto and Carolina. Still, Vegas has been playing just well enough to win. I expect that to continue on Thursday.
My best bet: Golden Knights moneyline (-102 at FanDuel)
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Golden Knights vs Penguins moneyline analysis
The Golden Knights might have lost to Pittsburgh twice last year, but they are poised to avenge the defeats on Thursday. The team has the best record in the Western Conference and the third-best behind just Boston and New Jersey.
If they are to win on Thursday on the road, they will need a strong performance from goalie Logan Thompson. The Golden Knights netminder was recently anointed the team’s No. 1 goalie.
The 25-year-old, along with Aidin Hill, have shored up what was a huge question mark before the season. Last year’s starter Robin Lehner, and backup, Laurent Brossoit, were both knocked out of action with hip injuries.
But Thompson has stepped up in a big way, ranking sixth in goals against (2.44) and an eighth-best save percentage at .918. He's also tied for second with 12 wins.
The goalie situation in Pittsburgh is not as solid. Tristan Jarry had a good season last year but hasn't been near as good in 2022, ranking 29th in GAA (2.91) and 16th in SV% (.914)
If Thompson can win the battle in the nets, Vegas should be able to get to Jarry and win this game.
Golden Knights vs Penguins Over/Under analysis
The total on the game opened at 6.5 and hasn’t budged. The best odds for the Over are +100 at FanDuel and BetMGM. Three places — Caesars, WynnBET, and PointsBet —have the Under at -115.
The Golden Knights are scoring an average of 3.42 goals a game, good for ninth. They are seventh in goals against, allowing an average of 2.63 per game.
Pittsburgh is right behind Vegas in goals scored at 10th with an average of 3.39 per game. They are 17th in goals against, averaging 3.17 a game.
Despite the scoring average for both teams, the Under is 4-0 in the Golden Knight's last four games. The Under is also 4-0 for the Penguins in their last four overall. Pittsburgh is also 5-0 to the Under in its last five against the Pacific Division.
Ironically, the Over is 4-1 between the teams in their last five meetings. Penguins goalie Tristan Jarry is going to be the key should the Under cash here. He has struggled a bit for Pittsburgh and gave up three goals to Carolina last time out.
Still, I think Jarry and Vegas goalie Logan Thompson do enough to keep this game Under 6. The Under is the play here.
Golden Knights vs Penguins betting trend to know
The Golden Knights are 10-1 in their last 11 against Eastern Conference teams. . Find more NHL betting trends for Golden Knights vs Penguins.
Golden Knights vs Penguins game info
| Location: | PPG Paints Arena, Pittsburgh, PA |
| Date: | Thursday, December 1, 2022 |
| Puck drop: | 7:00 p.m. ET |
| TV: | SportsNet PT, SportsNet RM |
