Pittsburgh vs Vegas Prediction 1 March 2026
🔊 Both the Penguins and the Golden Knights are comfortably positioned in their respective conference playoff spots. Pittsburgh have a four-point cushion in the East, while Vegas boast an eight-point lead in the West. Can the Penguins secure their fifth consecutive home victory against the Golden Knights? We break down this NHL regular-season matchup and offer our editorial prediction for the game on March 1.
Head-to-Head
📊 Over the past three seasons, Pittsburgh and Vegas have faced off four times, each winning twice. At PPG Paints Arena, the Penguins have come out on top in 6 of their 7 historical encounters with the Golden Knights, scoring at least twice in every meeting.
Head-to-head statistics Pittsburgh - Vegas
Pittsburgh Penguins Team Overview
Heading into their matchup against Vegas, the hosts sit in sixth place in the Eastern Conference. Thanks to earning points in two consecutive games, they've closed the gap on the top five. The Penguins, in their first game post-break, defeated the New Jersey Devils 4-1 and then fell to the New York Rangers in a shootout, 3-2.
Dan Muse's squad ranks among the top six highest-scoring teams in the league this season, averaging 3.40 goals per game. However, in February, Pittsburgh managed to score more than two goals in only two of their five games, though they maintained their average at the seasonal level.
Following their victory over the Devils, the Penguins' coaching staff opted not to alter their lineup or line combinations for the game in New York. Despite this consistency, Pittsburgh still deals with injuries to defensemen Caleb Jones and Jack St. Ivany, as well as forward Sidney Crosby, who sustained an injury at the Olympic Games.
Match Results: Pittsburgh Penguins
Vegas Golden Knights Team Overview
The Golden Knights have secured two points in two games since the break, defeating the Los Angeles Kings 6-4 and falling to the Washington Capitals 3-2. The Vegas slip-up allowed their closest chasers, the Anaheim Ducks, to close the gap to just three points for the fourth spot. In terms of points lost, the Ducks trail by merely one point.
On the road, the Golden Knights have managed just one win out of five games. Bruce Cassidy's squad has struggled defensively, conceding at least three goals in six of their last seven away matches. However, they have been productive offensively, averaging over three goals per game.
After some rest following the Olympic Games, five players rejoined the Vegas lineup for their first match against the Rangers: Team USA champions Noah Hanifin and Jack Eichel, along with finalists Mitchell Marner, Mark Stone, and Shea Theodore. Still on the injury list for the Golden Knights are Carter Hart, Alex Pietrangelo, Brett Howden, William Karlsson, and Jonas Rondbjerg.
Match Results: Vegas Golden Knights
⚡️ Leaders
With Pittsburgh's top scorer Sidney Crosby (59 points, 27+32) out, the offensive burden is likely to fall on Evgeni Malkin. The Russian forward currently has 46 points (13+33) and holds the status of the Penguins' primary playmaker. Supporting the forward, whose future with the Penguins remains uncertain, will be Blake Lizotte, Connor Clifton, and Ryan Shea, each of whom has contributed points in both games since the season resumed. Anthony Mantha has been on a roll, scoring in 8 of his last 9 games (7+5).
Leading the charge for Vegas is Jack Eichel. The American boasts 68 points (21+47), placing him among the top 15 scorers and playmakers in the NHL this season. Pavel Dorofeyev confidently leads the goal-scoring race with 28 goals. The Russian has been on the scoresheet for five consecutive games (4+3). Including games before the Olympic break, Mitchell Marner's scoring streak has reached six games (4+3).
🥅 Goaltenders
Arthur Silovs made a strong return to the NHL season, conceding just one goal against New Jersey with a save percentage of 96.6%. Stuart Skinner took the net against the Rangers for the Penguins, making 23 saves with a 92.0% save rate-his best performance in the last three games.
Swiss Olympian Akira Schmid was rested in Los Angeles. His backup, Adin Hill, had a mixed outing-the team won, but he allowed four goals on 19 shots. Against Washington, Schmid performed better with 27 saves and a 90.0% save percentage, though paradoxically, Vegas did not secure the win.
Editorial Prediction
The Penguins have shown a strong record at home against Vegas, winning six out of their last seven encounters, and maintaining impressive scoring form-netting at least three goals in five of those seven games at home against the Golden Knights. Considering that Pittsburgh have scored at least three goals in ten of their twelve games this season following an overtime or shootout loss, a bet on the Pittsburgh Penguins' team total over 2.5 goals seems like a solid choice.
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Betting Tips: Pittsburgh Penguins - Vegas Golden Knights
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