Can the Pittsburgh Penguins Continue to Dominate at Home Against the Detroit Red Wings?

The Detroit Red Wings will head to the PPG Paints Arena on Sunday evening to take on the Pittsburgh Penguins in an Eastern Conference matchup. The Penguins are second in the Metropolitan Division (39-16-9, 87 points) and trying to get even better seeding, while the Red Wings are fifth in the Atlantic Division (26-30-7, 59 points) and are looking forward to next season. This will be the second of three games against one another as Detroit was able to pick up a road shootout win 3-2 on January 28. 

These teams are at two completely different levels this season, so it will be an interesting game between two teams that should not be in the same stratosphere. Let’s look at Detroit and Pittsburgh to determine where we should be placing our bets. 

The Power of the Detroit Red Wings’ Center Needs to be Enough in This Game

The Red Wings will need to step up as they are averaging 2.87 goals on 29.5 shot attempts this season. Center Dylan Larkin has been doing decently well as he is tied for 23rd in the league in goals and tied for 36th in the sport in points as he has produced 61 points (27 goals, 34 assists) and has scored three points in his last two games. On the defensive side of the ice, Detroit is allowing 3.70 goals on 33.5 shots. Goalie Alex Nedeljkovic has to improve as he is 17-19-6 with 3.15 goals allowed per game and a .904 save percentage this season. 

Center Sidney Crosby has been doing well for Pittsburgh as he is tied for 21st in the NHL in assists and tied for 23rd in the league in points as he has 64 points (22 goals, 42 assists) up to this point while adding five points in his previous two games. They are scoring 3.23 goals on 34.9 shots right now as a team. Goaltender Tristan Jarry has been one of the best in the entire league as he is 32-12-6 with a .923 save percentage and 2.26 goals allowed per game. Defensively, the Penguins are giving up 2.55 goals on 30.3 shot attempts this season. 

Detroit Red Wings at Pittsburgh Penguins Betting Prediction

These teams are not similar to one another, and the defense as of late is all but proof for it as the Red Wings are giving up 3.5 goals in their last four games while the Penguins are allowing two goals in their previous five games. Detroit is 26-37 against the spread this season, while Pittsburgh is 32-32 against the spread, so go with the Pittsburgh Penguins to cover the puck line in this game.

* All odds provided by Action247 Sportsbook and all odds subject to change.
**All views expressed are my own. My picks are my own and are not a guarantee, bet at your own risk.