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Winnipeg Jets vs Pittsburgh Penguins: Can the Penguins challenge the best team in the league?
The Pittsburgh Penguins are hosting the Winnipeg Jets today at PPG Paints Arena.
The Jets are the best team in the league
The Winnipeg Jets are on top of the Western Conference with a league-best 16-3-0 record, including 7-2-0 on the road. After losing two consecutive games, the jets bounced back with a 6-3 win over the defending champions, Florida Panthers. The Jets are second in the league scoring 4.21 goals per game and are ranked fifth allowing 2.42. Mark Scheifele and Kyle Connor lead the team with 24 points each.
The Penguins have a difficult season
The Pittsburgh Penguins are 12th in the Eastern Conference with a 7-4-10 record, including 4-4-2 at home. They have lost 4 of the last 5 games and are coming off a 3-2 overtime loss to the Tampa Bay Lightning. The Penguins are 23rd in the league scoring 2.67 goals per game and are at the botton allowing 3.86. Sidney Crosby leads the team with 20 points so far in the season.
Betting Trends
The Penguins are 1-4 SU in their last 5 games overall, 4-12 SU in their last 16 games against teams from the Western Conference and 1-5 SU in their last 6 games against teams from the Central Division. Pittsburgh has played under the total goal line in 6 of their last 7 games agains the Jets, 4 of their last 6 home games and their last 6 home games against Winnipeg. The Jets are 16-3 SU in their last 19 games overall, 6-14 SU in their last 20 games against the Lenguins and 7-2 SU in their last 9 games on the road. Winnipeg has played under the total goal line in 5 of their last 7 games overall and over in 7 of their last 9 games against teams from the Eastern Conference.
Prediction and Conclusion
The Winnipeg Jets have had an epic season, and it seems like they are the team to beat in the NHL this season. They had some bumps in the road with back-to-back losses, but there is no doubt that they are still by far the best team in the league. They already beat the Penguins 6-3 earlier this season, which was only their sixth win in the last 20 games against Pittsburgh. The Penguins are struggling this season, and they simply lack the talent that can be competitive against teams like the Jets. Pittsburgh has the worst defensive in the league, and the Jets will fully exploit that and win this game.
