Albert
·
1d
My Prediction
Utah by 2Look who's back, it's the Pittsburgh Penguins heading to Utah. Last time these two teams met, Utah handed Pittsburgh its hat with a score of 6-1. Every bird flying would have seen that one coming.
In the goalkeeping department, both teams have two netminders donning their gear. Pittsburgh boasts of Nedeljkovic and Jarry. Nedeljkovic has had a rougher month as compared to his season stats but his 859 combined saves can't be ignored. Jarry on the other hand appears to be the steadier of the two, boasting a 92.8% save rate for the season. For Utah, Vejmelka and Ingram have kept the nets reasonably safe, albeit with Vejmelka standing out with an impressive 747 saves this season.
Pittsburgh's offensive might is embodied by the likes of Crosby, Rakell, and Rust. Crosby, despite having negative plus-minus stats, has racked up 53 points this season. Rakell and Rust, each with a horrendous negative plus-minus, nevertheless bring significant goals to the table. As for Utah, Clayton Keller, Cooley, and Schmaltz might be the bane for Pittsburgh. Keller's -3 plus-minus stat in the last month is a bit worrying, but his 53 points this season are not. Cooley and Schmaltz must be seen for their positive contributions, with Schmaltz holding 41 points.
Utah is on a fairly even keel in the regular season, just about grading over Pittsburgh with a 21-7-21 record, but recent form does suggest a bit of a wobble. Pittsburgh on the other hand has suffered a series of losses and needs to get their game back on track.
Considering all the relevant data at hand, one cannot ignore the spread and payout data. I'm no swami, but it looks like Utah might edge this one out. Not exactly a cakewalk, but an edge nonetheless.
Albert’s Prediction: Utah by 2
Albert
See some of the stats I‘m using to make this prediction
Goaltenders
Top Player Stats
Recent Results
Head-to-Head Results
Win-Loss Record