Another battle of two teams with high expectations will go down tonight, with the Pittsburgh Penguins visiting the Calgary Flames.
All Odds Courtesy of FanDuel Sportsbook
Pittsburgh Penguins (+150) vs. Calgary Flames (-182) Total: 6.5 (O -122, U +100)
The Pittsburgh Penguins are set to play a back-to-back after dropping a 6-3 contest with the Edmonton Oilers yesterday. The Pens still own a 4-1-1 record on the campaign and have played some good hockey to kick off their regular season. Looking at their opponent, the Flames have posted a 4-1 start to the season and are claiming to be the top team from Canada once again.
With the Penguins playing for the second night, it’s understandable why a team that’s as good as the Flames are listed as a decent-sized favorite on the moneyline at -182. The Pens started their top goalie last night against the Oilers, and they will lean on backup Casey DeSmith tonight. You can likely expect the Flames to turn toward their number-one netminder Jacob Markstrom. The Pens goalie has an 0-0-1 record with a .923 save percentage, while Markstrom is 3-0 with a .882 save percentage. It’s interesting to note that although Markstrom has struggled early on, the Flames have still been picking up victories. Knowing they can outscore their mistakes is a good sign for the Flames.
The Flames have a core that fits their head coach’s style. They should be able to take advantage of a Pens team that played yesterday. There’s likely some value in targeting the home side, but instead of just looking at the moneyline price, there’s merit to the puck line odds, priced at +136.
Best Bet: Flames puck line -1.5 (+136)
Markstrom hasn’t looked like himself early on, but it’s hard to be concerned with one of the top goaltenders in the NHL over the past three seasons. The Flames might have a more complete team this season, and once they fully buy into Darryl Sutter’s system, you’ll likely see more low-scoring games, especially when they play at home. That should be the case tonight, and as a result, target Under 6.5 at +100.
Best Bet: Under 6.5 (+100)
It hasn’t been an excellent start for Elias Lindholm, but he’s had to adjust to new linemates. The Selke-caliber center has done a great job of playing elite defense and chipping in offensively, which is evident by his 82-point season last year. In 2022-23, he’s scored just a pair of goals through five games, and he’ll be counted on to increase those totals moving forward. This is a matchup where he should be able to get down low in the Penguins’ zone and create chances, meaning there’s some value in targeting his price to score tonight at +190.
Best Prop: Elias Lindholm Over 0.5 Goals (+190)
