Simon Dalton presents his prediction for the NHL match.
Florida Panthers
Throughout the season, Florida concedes 2.6 goals per game, ranking 4th in the league. The Panthers' defensive quality is supported by additional statistics: playing full strength, they let their opponents make 26.9 shots per hour of playing time (3rd place) and 10.1 scoring chances from the danger zone (6th place).
Pittsburgh Penguins
Pittsburgh suffered 4 defeats in the last 5 matches, dropping the team to the second-to-last position in the Metropolitan Division. This is surprising considering that the Penguins have managed to keep the clean sheet 5 times this season — more than anyone else in the NHL. Kyle Dubas's bet on the lower lines is not paying off yet: Noel Acciari (2+1) and Matt Nieto (1+3) are injured.
Florida Panthers – Pittsburgh Penguins prediction
Both teams have excelled in neutralising attacks in the last 5 matches. During this time, the goalkeepers of Florida and Pittsburgh saved more than 91% of shots. Moreover, in the previous 10 head-to-head meetings, betting on total over was successful only 3 times. The low-scoring outcome is also influenced by the appalling statistics of Pittsburgh in power plays. In the last 12 matches, the Penguins have failed to convert any of their 33 attempts.
No more than 6 goals have been scored in games involving Pittsburgh since November 17. I guess betting on total under can be an interesting idea.
