Adam Williams presents his prediction for the NHL match.
After two convincing victories over major teams—the Winnipeg Jets (4:1) and New Jersey Devils (4:0)—the Tampa Bay Lightning travel to Pennsylvania to face the Pittsburgh Penguins. The Penguins are struggling to earn points and currently sit in the penultimate spot in the Metropolitan Division.
Pittsburgh Penguins
This season, the Pittsburgh Penguins are performing poorly and may have to trade many players to different teams by spring. General manager Kyle Dubas has already stated that everyone except Sidney Crosby is available for trade. The Penguins consistently lose at home against playoff-level opponents, and often by a significant margin. In the past month alone, they have lost to the Carolina Hurricanes (1:4), Minnesota Wild (3:5), and Dallas Stars (1:7). The Tampa Bay Lightning seem to fit right in with these strong opponents.
Tampa Bay Lightning
In terms of overall win percentage (59.4%), the Lightning rank 13th in the league. However, when considering Hockey-Reference's schedule-adjusted system, they jump to fourth. In their last 10 games, they have faced playoff-level opponents six times, including two match-ups each with the Minnesota Wild and Winnipeg Jets. Despite the injury to their second top scorer Brayden Point (8+5), the Lightning maintain their place among the top three in the Atlantic Division. Notably, the crucial centre's return could happen in this upcoming game.
Pittsburgh Penguins vs Tampa Bay Lightning Prediction
The most alarming aspect for the Pittsburgh Penguins is their inability to feel secure with any lead. They squandered a three-goal advantage against the struggling San Jose Sharks and only prevailed in a shootout (4:3). Facing a team like the Tampa Bay Lightning, who surpass both the Sharks and the Penguins in overall skill, makes the challenge even tougher. We are backing a win for the favourites.
