Pittsburgh Penguins vs Carolina Hurricanes Prediction NHL Picks 1/5/25

The Pittsburgh Penguins and Carolina Hurricanes meet Sunday in NHL action at the Lenovo Center. Here’s a Pittsburgh Penguins vs Carolina Hurricanes Prediction. This article will include a Pittsburgh Penguins vs Carolina Hurricanes Pick.

Pittsburgh Penguins Betting Preview

The Pittsburgh Penguins lost to the Red Wings and Panthers, and play the Blue Jackets, Oilers, and Senators next. The Pittsburgh Penguins are averaging 3.03 goals per game and are scoring 26.3 percent of their power play opportunities. Rickard Rakell leads Pittsburgh with 18 goals, Sidney Crosby has 31 assists, and Erik Karlsson has 98 shots on goal. Defensively, the Pittsburgh Penguins are allowing 3.63 goals per game and are killing 81.3 percent of their opponent’s power plays. Tristan Jarry has allowed 60 goals on 528 shots faced, and Alex Nedelijkovic has given up 51 goals on 460 shots.

Carolina Hurricanes Betting Preview

The Carolina Hurricanes beat the Panthers, lost to the Wild, and they play the Lightning, Maple Leafs, and Canucks next. The Carolina Hurricanes are averaging 3.36 goals per game and are scoring 24.2 percent of their power play opportunities. Jack Roslovic leads Carolina with 17 goals, Martin Necas has 31 assists and Andrei Svechnikov has 115 shots on goal. Defensively, the Carolina Hurricanes are allowing 2.79 goals per game and are killing 85 percent of their opponent’s power plays. Spencer Martin has given up 27 goals on 175 shots faced, and Pyotr Kochetkov has allowed 61 goals on 618 shots.

Why the Carolina Hurricanes will win

• The Penguins have lost each of their last seven night games at Lenovo Center.
• The home team has won each of the Penguins’ last six games.
• The Hurricanes have covered the puck line in seven of their last eight games as home favorites against Metropolitan Division opponents.
• The Penguins have failed to cover the puck line in each of their last four road games against Metropolitan Division opponents.
• The Penguins have lost the third period in each of their last four road games against Metropolitan Division opponents.

Why the Pittsburgh Penguins will win

• The Penguins have won eight of their last 12 games as underdogs following a shootout loss.
• The Hurricanes have lost three of their last five games as favorites against opponents on a losing streak.
• The Penguins have covered the puck line in 10 of their last 12 games at Lenovo Center.
• The Hurricanes have failed to cover the puck line in five of their last six games as favorites against opponents on a losing streak.
• The underdogs have won the first period in each of the Hurricanes’ last three games.

Pittsburgh Penguins vs Carolina Hurricanes Prediction

The Carolina Hurricanes are obviously the better team, and they’re going to get the edge from oddsmakers at home especially. However, the Canes have been sluggish over the last week or so which includes losses in 4 of their last 6 games. The Hurricanes are also on the end of a back-to-back where they were shut out by the Wild. We hit on the Wild yesterday as a big underdog. The Pittsburgh Penguins have games here and there where the offense explodes, and that could be the case here with a team playing for the second time in as many days. The head-to-head history isn’t kind to the Hurricanes, but I’ll still take a shot to make nearly two times my money. Give me the Penguins.