The Pittsburgh Penguins hit the road tonight and will be in Raleigh to take on the surging Carolina Hurricanes. The Pens have been a train wreck on the road this season and have dropped 10 of their last 14 away games. Injuries for the reigning NHL champions have started to mount and the drive for a third straight ’ship might be wearing on Sid the Kid and company. Pittsburgh opened as a +118 road dog to seal the deal in Carolina.
- The Hurricanes are 2-7 SU in their last nine games after consecutive wins.
- The total has gone UNDER in three of the last four games in this matchup.
- Penguins goaltender Matt Murray will not play tonight.
The road struggles cannot be overlooked by bettors when considering Pittsburgh tonight. At 7-12 SU away from home, the Penguins’ performance is very underwhelming and has placed them on the outside looking in for the Eastern Conference playoff race (behind Carolina too). The main difference is despite the flashy plays you may see on SportsCenter, the Pens are not scoring the way fans have been accustomed to. Last season, they led the NHL averaging 3.39 goals per game whereas this season they rank 17th. But … the silver lining for bettors looking for an edge in this contest is that Pittsburgh has dominated Carolina recently, having gone 5-0 SU in the last five games in this matchup, outscoring the Hurricanes 20-8.
Carolina has started to turn heads in the NHL community and may be a team on the upswing. At 6-1 SU in their last seven games, the ’Canes have jumped into wild-card contention in the Eastern Conference and have a chance to make the playoffs for the first time since 2009. Carolina is 5-0 SU in the last five at home and what’s more surprising about their recent uptick is they rank in the bottom 10 in both goals scored and goals allowed this season. If the Hurricanes can continue to get timely scoring from their young guns of Jeff Skinner, Teuvo Teravainen and Sebastian Aho, the future looks bright in Raleigh.
For totals bettors, it may be best to consider the UNDER in this matchup. The total opened at 5.5 and the UNDER has hit in four of the last six games in this matchup.
Sportsbook Odds & Computer Pick
If you're going with the Carolina Hurricanes in this one, they were listed as moneyline favorites of -113 on most NHL hockey betting menus (such as Sportsbook) early today for Friday's contest. The OVER/UNDER total was at 5.5 earlier at Sportsbook.
OddsShark computer prediction formulas pick a 3.8-1.8 win for the Hurricanes on Friday. View the computer score prediction and who will win the pick on the moneyline for all upcoming NHL matchups here.
Pittsburgh Penguins vs Carolina Hurricanes Matchup
Team Betting Records & Power Rankings
The Hurricanes sit at 17-12-7 on the season; in comparison, the Pittsburgh Penguins are currently 19-16-3. Looking to wager on the totals? Carolina is 17-17-2 OU, and Pittsburgh is 20-16-2 OU. Stay Informed: follow us on Twitter for odds specials, betting line moves and Carolina vs Pittsburgh injuries news.
The NHL Power Rankings show a disparity between these teams, with the Hurricanes rated this week at No. 20 and the Penguins sitting at No. 7.
Statistical Matchup
The game also pits Carolina's No. 21-ranked offense, averaging 2.83 goals per game, against a Penguins defense that ranks No. 23 at 3.21 goals allowed. The Hurricanes power play is averaging 15.97% while the Penguins defense kills off 80.58% of their penalties.
Recent Outings Betting Recap
Pittsburgh won its last outing, a 5-4 result against the Blue Jackets on December 27. Bettors who backed the Penguins at -149 on the moneyline won on the day, and the total score (9) sent OVER bettors to the payout window.
Carolina was a 3-1 Sportsbook in its last match at home against the Canadiens. They won as favorites, while the total score of 4 made Sportsbooks of UNDER bettors.
- Pittsburgh is 1-4 ATS in its last 5 games
- Pittsburgh is 5-2 ATS in its last 7 games on the road
- Pittsburgh is 4-10 SU in its last 14 games on the road
- Pittsburgh is 5-0 SU in its last 5 games when playing Carolina
- Carolina is 4-1 ATS in its last 5 games
- Carolina is 6-1 SU in its last 7 games
- The total has gone UNDER in 6 of Carolina's last 9 games
- Carolina is 5-0 SU in its last 5 games at home
Next Betting Matchups
Pittsburgh at Detroit, Sunday, December 31
Carolina at St. Louis, Saturday, December 30
