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The Penguins and Flames meet in Calgary! The Penguins have been inconsistent this season, while the Flames have been great and undefeated. We continue our NHL odds series with a Penguins-Flames prediction and pick.
The Pittsburgh Penguins have been very inconsistent this season. Evgeni Malkin and Sidney Crosby are the two biggest keys for the Penguins this season. They both started off playing well this season despite the team struggling. The Penguins have a lot of talent and can be a huge team this year.
The Calgary Flames were inconsistent last year and missed the playoffs. They seem like a better team and have only played five games. Nazem Kadri was the biggest key for the team last season, but this season, Jonathan Huberdeau has started off red-hot and has carried the Flames. This team has a lot of potential this season, and they have only had one overtime loss up to this point.
Here are the Penguins-Flames NHL odds, courtesy of FanDuel.
NHL Odds: Penguins-Flames Odds
Pittsburgh Penguins: +1.5 (-250)
Moneyline: -105
Calgary Flames: -1.5 (+202)
Moneyline: -115
Over: 6.5 (-102)
Under: 6.5 (-120)
How To Watch Penguins vs Flames
Time: 9:30 pm ET/6:30 pm PT
TV: ESPN+/SportsNet Pittsburgh/Sportsnet West/Sportsnet Flames
Article Continues Below
Stream: fuboTV (Free Trial)
Why the Penguins Could Cover the Spread/Win
The Penguins struggled last season and missed the postseason. Their offense was solid at best but was inconsistent. They scored 3.09 goals per game and had a 9.4% shooting percentage. In comparison, this season's offense is already playing better, scoring 3.43 goals per game and having a 10.8% save percentage. This team has gone as Sidney Crosby goes as long as he has been in Pittsburgh, and last year was no different. Crosby led in total points at 94, in goals at 42, and assists at 52. The team has started the season with more balance, with Evgeni Malkin leading with 11 points and Lars Eller leading in goals at four. Crosby is tied for second in total points at six.
The Penguins' defense was great last year. They allowed 3.02 goals per game and had a 90.3% save percentage. It's been a struggle this season, with them allowing 4.43 goals per game with an 87.9% save percentage. The Penguins have had a rotating door of goalies in their rotation. Last season, Tristan Jarry was the main goalie with 19 wins and 25 losses through 51 games. He allowed 2.91 goals per game and had a 90.3% save percentage. Jarry has struggled this season with a 1-1 record, and he is allowing 5.47 goals per game and has an 83.6% save percentage. He has been demoted as the main goalie, and it seems Joel Blomqvist has taken that job. He has a 2-2 record through four games, allowing 3.16 goals per game and a 90.8% save percentage.
Why the Flames Could Cover the Spread/Win
The Flames struggled on defense last season. They allowed 3.26 goals per game and had an 89.7% save percentage. So far this season, the defense has played great, allowing 2.40 goals per game, and they have a 91.7% save percentage. The defense will come down to the duo of Dustin Wolf and Dan Vladar at goalie because they both have an even bigger role this year after appearing in a select amount of games. Wolf had seven wins and seven losses in 17 games last season, and he allowed 3.16 goals per game with an 89.3% save percentage. Then, Vladar had eight wins and nine losses, allowing 3.62 goals per game with an 88.2% save percentage. This season, they are both 2-0, with Wolf allowing 2.02 goals per game and a 94.4% save percentage, while Vladar allows 2.63 goals per game and has an 89% save percentage.
The Flames' offense struggled last season and was very inconsistent. They scored 3.09 goals per game and had a 9.8% shooting percentage on goal. In comparison, this season, the Flames are the third-best offense in the NHL, scoring 4.00 goals per game with a 14.7% shooting percentage. Nazem Kadri carried this team on offense last season with 75 total points, 29 goals, and 46 assists. The offense has been balanced this season, but Jonathan Huberdeau leads the way with six total points, three goals, and three assists in five games this season. Then, Rasmus Andersson is also tied for the team lead in six total points with two goals and four assists.
Final Penguins-Flames Prediction & Pick
The Penguins are inconsistent this season, and the Flames have been red-hot. However, both teams are coming off losses. The Penguins should keep things close in this game because they have the talent and depth, but the Flames are in line for a rebound and to get back on track with a win. Penguins keep it close and cover, but the Flames still win in this spot.
Final Penguins-Flames Prediction & Pick: Pittsburgh Penguins +1.5 (-250)
