Pittsburgh vs Montreal Prediction 22 December 2025
🔊 Pittsburgh will host Montreal on their home ice in Pennsylvania as part of the NHL regular season. The hosts are "falling into an abyss," suffering one setback after another and rapidly losing their standings positions. The visitors, on the other hand, are gradually overcoming difficulties, gaining strength, and becoming a true "force" in the East. This is a highly significant matchup, with both teams approaching it in completely different forms. It's worth noting that the opponents faced each other less than 24 hours ago.
Head-to-Head
This season, the teams have clashed twice, and each time the result was the same-Montreal netted four goals and came out victorious (4-2, 4-0). Notably, in both encounters, Pittsburgh played more aggressively, created more chances, and had more shots on target, yet ended up with nothing to show for it. Forward Josh Anderson made a decisive contribution to his team's success, scoring a brace in the first game.
Head-to-head statistics Pittsburgh - Montreal
Pittsburgh Penguins Team Overview
Dan Muse's team are in the midst of a real crisis. The hosts have suffered eight consecutive defeats. The onset of this slump coincided precisely with Evgeni Malkin's injury, which severely impacted the team's attacking depth. Initially, it seemed the issues were solely defensive, but losing the last two games by a combined score of 0-8 made things clear. Now, the club finds themselves just a few points away from the bottom of the Eastern standings, and it seems like only a temporary stop on their downward path. There are no signs of improvement on the horizon.
Match Results: Pittsburgh Penguins
Montreal Canadiens Team Overview
After a slight dip in early December, the visitors have significantly picked up their form recently. In their last six games, they've claimed four victories and suffered just one regulation loss. This surge has allowed the team to climb the standings and break into the top 8 in the East, yet they have no room for complacency. In such circumstances, they certainly can't afford to slow down. However, their main issue remains a rather ineffective defense. They've conceded 118 goals, which is one of the worst records in the conference.
Match Results: Montreal Canadiens
🏒 Projected Lineups
Pittsburgh: Silovs - Karlsson, Wotherspoon - Novak, Crosby, Rust
Montreal: Fowler - Matheson, Dobson - Caufield, Suzuki, Bolduc
🥅 Goalkeepers
Pittsburgh's goaltender Arturs Silovs has yet to make a strong impression despite being given the opportunity to be the NHL club's number one for the first time in his career. The Latvian averages a save percentage of only 88.7%, although he has recorded one shutout. Clearly, this isn't enough for the team.
Montreal's goalie Jacob Fowler continues to shine in his NHL debut. The young American has played just four full games in the league, but that's been more than enough to make a name for himself. He averages a save percentage of 91.5% and has also notched up one shutout-all at the age of 22.
Editor's Prediction
The hosts are in undeniably poor form, but their vast experience means they can't be written off just yet. Meanwhile, the visitors have shown significant improvement recently and are keen to solidify their position in the standings. One crucial aspect to consider is scoring potential-Pittsburgh's last seven home games have all featured at least six goals, largely due to Dan Muse's squad's defensive struggles. Montreal could very well exploit these defensive vulnerabilities. Our bet is on over 5.5 goals.No comments
Betting Tips: Pittsburgh Penguins - Montreal Canadiens
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