The Anaheim Ducks (4-4-1) travel to face off against the Pittsburgh Penguins (3-7-1) on Thursday, October 31st. This game will be played at PPG Paints Arena in Pittsburgh and televised on ESPN+. The Ducks are coming off a win in their previous game, while the Penguins are looking to get back on track from a loss to the Wild. Puck drop is set for 7:00 ET.

Ducks vs Penguins

The Anaheim Ducks Are Coming Off A Win

With a 3-1 win over the Islanders, the Ducks evened their record at 4-4-1. Anaheim covered the puck line as underdogs, and the total of 4 goals fell short of the 5.5 line.

Three different players scored for the Ducks, with Frank Vatrano sealing the win with an empty-net goal at 19:00 in the third period. Anaheim’s defense held strong, with Lukas Dostal stopping 40 of 41 shots.

The Pittsburgh Penguins Look To Bounce Back From A Loss

After a 5-3 loss to the Wild, the Penguins fell to 3-7-1 this season. Pittsburgh held a 2-0 lead in the first period, but Minnesota responded with five unanswered goals. The Penguins were underdogs on the puck line, and the total for the game was set at 6.5 goals, with the combined score reaching 8.

Valtteri Puustinen opened the scoring at 8:24 in the first period, and Rickard Rakell added another goal at 15:31. However, the Wild tied it up before the end of the first and took the lead in the second. Rakell scored again in the third period to bring Pittsburgh within one, but Minnesota sealed the game with an empty-net goal.

Anaheim Offense Breakdown

In their recent game against the Islanders, the Ducks took 22 shots on goal, scoring three times. Frank Vatrano netted his first goal of the season on an empty net, while Leo Carlsson added his fourth goal and Troy Terry scored his fifth, both on power plays.

Mason McTavish contributed two assists, bringing his season total to five. Alex Killorn picked up his first assist of the year on Vatrano’s empty-netter. The Ducks had 14 giveaways in the game.

Penguins Offense Breakdown

Rickard Rakell netted two goals for the Penguins, bringing his season total to 7. He scored Pittsburgh’s second goal at 15:31 in the first period and added another at 3:36 into the third. Valtteri Puustinen opened the scoring for the Penguins with his first goal of the season, coming on a power play 8:24 into the first period.

Sidney Crosby contributed with three assists, now sitting at 10 assists for the season. The Penguins fired 29 shots on goal and recorded 15 giveaways.

Anaheim Team Defense

Defensively, the Ducks will look to build on their previous performance, where they gave up just one goal to the Islanders. Lukas Dostal made 40 saves with a 97.6% save percentage. The Ducks’ defense also contributed 8 takeaways, 22 hits, and 25 blocks. The only goal they allowed came on a power play in the 3rd period.

Pittsburgh Team Defense

Defensively, the Penguins will look to bounce back after allowing five goals to the Wild, including two late in the first period and two more in the second. Joel Blomqvist made 35 saves with an 89.7% save percentage, while the defense added 3 takeaways and 15 hits. The final goal they allowed was an empty-netter with 19 seconds left in the third period.

Ducks vs Penguins Trends

• Across their last three road contests, Anaheim has a 2-1 record vs the spread. Their overall mark in these games was 1-2, while averaging 2 goals per game.
• In their last ten games at home, the Penguins have a straight up record of 6-4 while going 3-7 vs the spread. The team’s offense averaged 3 goals per game in these contests.
• Looking back on the team’s last five games as the underdog, the Penguins have a straight up record of 0-5. Their record vs the puck line in these games was 2-3.
• Going back to their last ten games as the favorite, the Ducks have a straight up record of 5-5. But, their mark vs the puck line was just 4-6.

Ducks vs Penguins Prediction

If you’re looking for a straight moneyline bet, then the Penguins are the way to go. However, with a payout of -195, you might consider using this bet as a leg of a parlay.

When it comes to my suggested pick for the puck line, I’d advise taking the Ducks to cover. Even in the event of a Penguins victory, this matchup is likely to remain closely contested, and the Ducks should cover the puck line.

For those looking at the over/under line set at 6.5 goals, our expectation is that this game will surpass that mark, and we suggest making a bet on the over.

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All odds are courtesy of Action247 Sportsbook. Good luck!!

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* All odds are 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.Action247 does not warrant the accuracy of completeness of the information, text, graphics, links or other items contained within these post.