Pittsburgh vs Columbus Prediction
📣 On Sunday, Marc-André Fleury will take the ice for the final game of his professional career. To mark this occasion, the coaching staff is fielding their best lineup, featuring Letang and Karlsson in defense. Up front, Evgeni Malkin and Sidney Crosby will lead the attack. Can the Blue Jackets stand their ground against the Pennsylvania team without Provorov and Marchenko? We'll find out soon enough.
Head-to-Head
The "Blue Jackets" and the "Penguins" faced off in two preseason matchups last year. The boys from Pennsylvania claimed victory in both encounters (3-1; 7-3). Interestingly, in the first exhibition game, Columbus's coaching staff fielded a more optimal lineup, but only Cole Sillinger found the back of the net. Goalie Tristan Jarry had a solid preseason outing, stopping 33 shots from Monahan and his crew. The second game was more dynamic, thrilling fans with a total of 10 goals. A few days ago, the "Jackets" and "Penguins" clashed sticks once again. On September 25, the Ohio team secured a win (4-1). Zach Werenski notched two assists, while his defensive partners Fabbro and Christiansen each scored a goal. The lone goal for the "Penguins" came from AHL forward Zach Gallant.
H2H Stats Matches and Previous Teams Results
Pittsburgh Penguins Team Overview
The Penguins had a disappointing last season, finishing only 13th in the East. During the offseason, they parted ways with defenseman Grzelcyk, goaltender Nedeljkovic, and forward Matt Nieto. Joining the Pennsylvania roster are Anthony Mantha, who has underperformed over the last two seasons, Matt Dumba, who last showed his best form in Minnesota, and former Boston players Brazeau and Wotherspoon. The signing of goaltender Arturs Silovs is particularly intriguing. Last season, Silovs played for the Vancouver Canucks' farm team, the Abbotsford Canucks, and won the Calder Cup. After a battle with Columbus, the Penguins edged out Detroit in a preseason matchup, winning 3-2. Without Malkin and Crosby, the black-and-yellow squad managed 20 shots and capitalized on one power play opportunity.
Match Results: Pittsburgh Penguins
Columbus Blue Jackets Team Overview
The "Blue Jackets" had a shot at making the playoffs last season for the first time in a while, but they were edged out by Montreal, pushing their postseason hopes back by at least another year. Over the summer, the Jackets bolstered their lineup with Charlie Coyle, Miles Wood, and Hudson Fasching, who are set to strengthen the team's lower lines. Goaltending support for the Merzlikins-Greaves duo was sought with the addition of Ivan Fedotov from Philadelphia. However, Fedotov didn't secure a spot for long, as he was placed on waivers on September 26. In the current preseason, the Jackets have already played four games, securing victories against St. Louis and Pittsburgh. Dean Evason's squad should enter the new season with an optimal roster. The only injury concern is Denton Mateychuk, the 12th overall pick of the 2022 draft.
Match Results: Columbus Blue Jackets
🏒 Projected Lineups
Pittsburgh: Fleury - Karlsson, Pickering - Rakell, Crosby, Rust
Columbus: Merzlikins - Christiansen, Gudbranson - Sillinger, Del Bel Belluz, Chinakhov
🥅 Goalies
Fans have finally got what they've been waiting for! Marc-André Fleury is set to guard the net for the Penguins in the upcoming game. Throughout his illustrious career, the goaltender has played for Pittsburgh, Vegas, Chicago, and Minnesota. With Pittsburgh, Marc has captured the Stanley Cup three times.
In the upcoming match, we expect to see Elvis Merzlikins in goal. Last season, Merzlikins appeared in 53 games for the Blue Jackets, allowing an average of 3.18 goals per game. During the preseason, he played just one partial game against Buffalo, conceding two goals.
Editor's Prediction
As we can see, for Marc-André Fleury's farewell game, the Penguins' coaching staff are fielding their main lineup against Columbus' reserves. In this scenario, the best betting option appears to be a Pittsburgh win in regulation. Without Werenski and Provorov in defense, the Blue Jackets will struggle against Crosby and Malkin, and their offense, missing Monahan and Marchenko, is unlikely to score more than two goals on the veteran star Fleury. Our prediction: the Penguins will take revenge after their recent loss at Nationwide Arena.
Betting Tips: Pittsburgh Penguins - Columbus Blue Jackets
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