The Pittsburgh Penguins and Anaheim Ducks are headed in different directions, and they’ll collide tonight from the Honda Center.
All Odds Courtesy of FanDuel Sportsbook
Pittsburgh Penguins (-275) vs. Anaheim Ducks (+220) Total: 6.5 (O -104, U -118)There are not a lot of similarities between the Ducks and Penguins. The Ducks have a young core and are looking to continue adding to that in the upcoming draft, while the Penguins have a veteran core and are trying to make one last run at a Stanley Cup. That’s reflected in the standings and odds for this matchup, with the Penguins listed as sizable road favorites on the moneyline at -275 and the Ducks sitting at +220.
This is the season’s second meeting between these clubs, with the first seeing the Pens pick up a 4-3 victory on January 16. The Penguins enter this matchup with a 4-3-3 record over their last ten games, while the Ducks are 5-3-2 over that same sample size.
Looking toward the projected goalie matchup, the visiting Penguins are expected to continue riding Casey DeSmith, while the Ducks should do the same with John Gibson. The Penguins netminder has an 8-10-4 record with a .905 save percentage, while the veteran in Gibson is sitting at 10-20-5 with a .900 save percentage. Gibson has been better of late and is a significant reason for the Ducks’ improvement in the standings.
Even though the Pens are the better team, that doesn’t mean we like their odds. The Ducks have been playing solid, keeping games close, which is what we expect tonight.
Best Bet: Ducks Puck Line +1.5 (-115)
Even with the Ducks playing better of late, their stats don’t reflect that, considering they sit dead last in goals scored and goals allowed per game. The Penguins are a middle-of-the-pack team in both categories, making an interesting decision regarding the total of 6.5. Over the Pens’ last five games, they’ve seen seven or more goals scored in two, while the Ducks have also seen that in two. Don’t expect an offensive affair tonight, even if that’s what we saw in their earlier matchup.
Best Bet: Under 6.5 (-118)
There are some star-studded players set to suit up for this matchup, and even though we’re projecting the Ducks keep it close, there’s more value in backing some of the Pens players to score. Jake Guentzel has 20 goals, and this is a perfect matchup to take advantage of. Guentzel is currently listed at +120 to score.
Best Prop: Jake Guentzel to Record Over 0.5 Goals (+120)
