Liontips
Pittsburgh vs. Columbus: NHL Match Prediction
On January 8, Pittsburgh will try to break its losing streak, which has already reached three games in a row. This time, the team will meet with a far from serious opponent, Columbus. Our experts, in turn, have prepared a betting tip in which they will help you decide on bets
Command Analysis
Pittsburgh Penguins
USACurrent form
After a successful performance at home and a victory over the Islanders (3:2), Pittsburgh went on the road, where they failed to please the fans either. In the first match, the team met with Detroit and the fight remained equal until the end of the meeting. The Red Wings took the lead just five minutes before the final whistle, and then the penguins missed into an empty net, suffering a defeat with a score of 2:4. Goalkeeper Nedeljkovic did not play his best, reflecting only 87% of the shots. Then the team fought with a much more powerful opponent, in the person of Florida, and this time they were one step away from success. The decisive factor was the removal of the panthers in the last minutes, which Sullivan's charges certainly took advantage of and transferred the game to overtime. It came down to a series of shootouts, where they still had to lose (2:3).
Continuing to play away, the Penguins went to visit another favorite, Carolina, and were able to show a productive game, which almost brought victory. Already at the end of the opening segment, Pittsburgh had a two-goal advantage, but was unable to hold on to it. This time it only came down to overtime, where they also had to suffer an offensive defeat (3:4). Once again, Nedeljkovic failed to cope with his main task, reflecting only 87% of the shots. It is worth noting that the Penguins started this season brilliantly and remained leaders in the East for a long time, but their decline has already dragged on for a very long time, and it is still unclear whether the club will be able to regain its previous form and start earning points consistently. However, there are no prerequisites for this yet. At the moment, the team is in ninth place in the table, with 41 points.
Disqualifications and injuries
Pittsburgh has no serious problems with its roster. Only St. Ivan and Tomasino are in the infirmary.
Interesting trends for betting
- On average, Pittsburgh allows 3.7 goals per game.
The Penguins' defense remains one of the worst in the league.
- On average, a team receives 6.9 penalty minutes per game.
But the club's discipline is in perfect order.
Columbus Blue Jackets
USACurrent form
The Columbus Blue Jackets continue to show inconsistent results, causing concern among fans and analysts. In the last home game against the Montreal Canadiens, the team won confidently with a score of 5:4, demonstrating excellent play in attack. They managed to consolidate their success in the match with Boston, leaving them no chance and defeating them with a difference of four goals (6:2). The first line of the Blue Jackets again showed their best side, scoring a total of 13 points. However, in the next match with the Bears, their efficiency noticeably decreased. Despite all their efforts, Columbus was unable to score a single goal, suffering a defeat with a score of 0:4.
After an unsuccessful series of matches, the team met with another strong opponent - the Carolina Hurricanes. Thanks to excellent shot execution and skillful actions in the majority, the Blue Jackets were able to tie the score in the third period and transfer the game to overtime. As a result, it came down to a series of shootouts, where the team won with a score of 4:3. The key role in this success was played by forward Monahan, who gave three assists. It seemed that after this victory, Columbus would be able to confidently beat the Detroit Red Wings. However, in this match, there were problems in defense, which led to a defeat with a score of 4:5. Goalkeeper Merzlikin, despite all efforts, reflected only 80% of the shots, which was one of the reasons for the team's failure. The club also played unreliably in defense in the match with St. Louis, but due to very excellent shot execution, it was possible to win (6:4). It is difficult to even single out any of the players, as many distinguished themselves with effective actions. It is precisely because of its instability that the club cannot rise to the playoff zone and currently occupies the 11th place in the Eastern Conference table.
Disqualifications and injuries
There are still no changes in the Columbus infirmary. Gudbranson, Jenner, Chinakhov and Danforth will definitely not be able to play in the upcoming game.
Interesting trends for betting
- On average, Columbus allows 3.6 goals per game.
Throughout the regular season, the team faced serious difficulties in defense.
- The Blazers converted just 19% of their power play attempts.
It is also worth noting that the team does not always perform well in the majority.
Trends
Bet First Goal: Columbus
Columbus has opened the scoring in five straight head-to-head games
2.04Goal in each period bet - yes
In four head-to-head matches in a row, the teams scored a goal in each period
1.50Tip and bets
Despite their decline, Pittsburgh is the favorite in the upcoming match, for several reasons. Firstly, the team has consistently fought off the league's strongest clubs and was one step away from success. Secondly, the penguins played away from home, and now they have returned to their home arena, where, with the support of their fans, they show their best side and achieve the desired results much more often. It is also worth noting that Columbus is very unstable and has been alternating victories with defeats for a long time. So we suggest betting on the home team.
Our prediction is Pittsburgh's victory in the match at 1.72
Bet on total
In the upcoming match, we can expect a large number of goals scored. Both teams have had huge problems in defense throughout the regular championship, and matches involving the clubs are consistently productive. So there is an excellent opportunity to bet on the total over.
Betting Tip - total over six goals for 1.70
Bet on the outcome of the first period
It is also worth noting that Pittsburgh plays well in the first period and very rarely allows opponents to gain an advantage at the end of the opening period.
Prediction - Pittsburgh win in the first period with a handicap (0) for 1.70
Upcoming matches
Read more
Tips from experts
Today tips
Betting predictions stat
