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By Brady Trettenero in NHL Hockey
Published:
A pair of struggling teams meet in Salt Lake City as the Pittsburgh Penguins (20-24-8) take on the Utah Hockey Club (21-21-7) at Delta Center on Wednesday, January 29, 2025. Puck drop is scheduled for 9:30 PM Eastern Time, with national coverage on TNT.
The Hockey Club are short home favorites at -142 on the moneyline, while the total is set at 6.0 goals. Will the desperate Penguins and Hockey Club light the lamp early and often in this clash?
Here’s our Penguins vs Utah prediction for Wednesday Night Hockey.
I’m backing over 1.5 goals in the first period at -130 odds in what should be a fast-paced, high-scoring affair. Both the Penguins and Hockey Club are reeling right now and urgently need a win. Pittsburgh has lost three straight while being outscored 11-3. Utah has dropped two in a row.
That desperation, coupled with some shaky goaltending, sets the stage for an action-packed opening frame. The Penguins’ Alex Nedeljkovic owns a dismal 3.21 GAA and .894 save percentage on the season. While he played well last game, Nedeljkovic has been consistently unreliable.
I can appreciate the work Alex Nedeljkovic provided last season, and trying to duct tape things together right now, but why aren’t we seeing more Joel Blomqvist?
If Blomqvist is really your future in goal, then where is the trust at? #Penguins
Meanwhile, Utah’s Connor Ingram hasn’t been much better, sporting an ugly 3.34 GAA and .880 save percentage. He surrendered four goals on just 28 shots in his last outing. With two vulnerable netminders between the pipes, expect a flurry of early scoring chances.
The total has gone over in four of Utah’s last five games when playing as the favorite. The Hockey Club have the firepower to exploit weak defenses and engage in high-scoring affairs. Just look at the first meeting between these teams, which Utah won 6-1 despite only outshooting Pittsburgh 30-28.
The Penguins are also due for some positive regression after posting an unlucky 0.973 PDO over their last 10 games. Their offense is better than its recent numbers suggest and should break out against Ingram and Utah’s average defense.
Bet on the first period to feature a fast pace and multiple goals as two motivated clubs look to seize early momentum. At -130 odds, the over 1.5 is solid value.
Wednesday NHL Pick:
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The Hockey Club sit as -142 home favorites on the moneyline, meaning a $142 bet would net you $100 in profit if Utah wins. The Penguins are +120 underdogs, offering a potential $120 return on a $100 wager.
Pittsburgh is -194 to cover the +1.5 puck line, so they need to either win outright or lose by a single goal for that bet to cash. Meanwhile, Utah is +156 to prevail by two or more goals.
The total is set at 6 goals, with the over and under both priced at -110. This suggests oddsmakers are expecting a relatively high-scoring contest.
Odds courtesy of Bet365 Sportsbook as of January 29, 2025. Bet on this game with the Bet365 bonus code.
Here’s who we expect between the pipes for Wednesday’s Penguins vs Utah tilt:
Pittsburgh Penguins: Alex Nedeljkovic (9-9-4, 3.21 GAA, .894 SV%)
Nedeljkovic has struggled mightily in his first season as Pittsburgh’s starter. The 29-year-old owns a poor 3.21 GAA and .894 save percentage through 22 appearances. He’s allowed at least three goals in nine of his last 11 outings.
While Nedeljkovic played well last game, making 26 saves on 28 shots in a 2-1 loss to San Jose, it’s hard to trust him given his season-long inconsistency. He surrendered six goals on 30 shots in his first meeting with Utah back in November.
Pens HCMS: Nedeljkovic starts vs Utah pic.twitter.com/xEsAbkNszg
Utah Hockey Club: Connor Ingram (8-6-3, 3.34 GAA, .880 SV%)
Ingram has provided little relief for Utah in goal. The 27-year-old backup sports an ugly 3.34 GAA and .880 save percentage in 17 starts. He was blitzed for four goals on 28 shots in his last appearance, a 5-2 loss to Winnipeg.
To his credit, Ingram has shown some improvement since returning from injury, posting a .908 save percentage over his last four games. Still, those are hardly inspiring numbers. The Penguins will have ample opportunities to solve him early.
Neither Nedeljkovic nor Ingram instills much confidence. In a battle between two scuffling teams and vulnerable netminders, bank on the offenses to come out firing. Expect a fast-paced, high-scoring first period as both clubs push the pace in search of a crucial win.
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Lead NHL & NCAAF Editor
Brady is the lead NHL and College Football editor at Sports Betting Dime, where he specializes in betting odds and data-driven analysis. Brady has over 10 years experience working in sports media, with work published by outlets such as ESPN, CBS Sports, Yahoo! Sports and Fox Sports.
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