It is a quiet start to the week with only two games scheduled for Monday night, with the Pittsburgh Penguins looking to have a good opportunity to maintain their fast start when they host the struggling St Louis Blues at the PPG Paints Arena.
The Penguins have won six of their opening nine games to hold second spot in the Metropolitan Division, a point behind the New Jersey Devils, albeit having played a game more.
By contrast, the Blues have won only three of their eight games played and find themselves seventh in the Central Division, with only the Minnesota Wild below them.
All things being equal, Pittsburgh would surely have been the favorite for this game but it was dealt a big blow on Sunday with the news that Rickard Rakell has suffered a broken hand and is likely to be out until Christmas.
That is tough for the Penguins to lose Rakell, given he led the team with 35 goals last season and was second in points (70), while the has started this season solidly enough with five points and three assists for eight points in nine games.
Obviously he has played his part in Pittsburgh’s best start to a season since 2019/20, sustaining the injury in Saturday’s 5-4 overtime loss to the Columbus Blue Jackets, a result that ended a four-game winning sequence, which had included a 5-3 win over the Panthers in Florida.
Still, the Blues might not be the team to capitalize and the Penguins look worth chancing at the odds to chalk up another win to keep the early pressure on in the Metropolitan.
With the season still in its infancy, Pittsburgh was tied third in the NHL with 32 goals scored (at the time of writing) – the Blues were tied-25th – but perhaps more worryingly for the visitors is their defensive fragility as they have allowed 33 goals with only four teams holding a worse record.
While the Penguins have not lost in regulation for five games, the Blues go into this game on the back of an overtime loss and two defeats, losing 7-4 to Utah before imploding against the Detroit Red Wings, losing 6-4 having been 4-0 up, while top line center Robert Thomas is day-to-day having picked up an upper body injury in that defeat.
Rakell may prove to be a big miss over the course of time, but St Louis’ confidence could well be shaken and looks untrustworthy as a favorite, particularly if Thomas does not make the ice or sees more limited game-time.
The Penguins have won their last five games against St Louis at the PPG Paints Arena, all by at least two goals, having triumphed 5-3 and 4-2 in the two home games last season and home-ice advantage should help them once again.
Sidney Crosby remains the Penguins star man and with Rakell out, the captain is likely to be leaned on even more, and he can get himself on the scoresheet, particularly given the Blues defensive issues of late.
Crosby has contributed 11 points so far this season, scoring two goals against Florida to take his tally to a team-leading six, with five goals in his last five games, and he can add at least another on Monday night.
Jake Neighbours made a fast start to the season, scoring four goals in his first four games, before enduring a blip as he failed to register a point in his next three.
However, the 23-year-old broke out of his slump in fine style as he netted twice to help the Blues take a 4-0 lead in Detroit and although ultimately that game ended in a loss, confidence may have been restored.
Given Neighbours now has a team-leading six goals which is three more than his nearest challenger, he looks overpriced to score again in Pittsburgh.
Read more betting picks and predictions for the NHL on site.
St Louis Blues
-120 ML
Pittsburgh Penguins
+100 ML
Puck Line
STL Blues -1.5
Total
O/U 6.0
Sidney Crosby (PIT Penguins)
+160
Jordan Kyrou (STL Blues)
+190
Bryan Rust (PIT Penguins)
+190
Evgeni Malkin (PIT Penguins)
+220
Pavel Buchnevich (STL Blues)
+230
Robert Thomas (STL Blues)
+260
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This article was written by a partner sports writer via Spotlight Sports Group. All odds displayed on this page were correct at the time of writing and are subject to withdrawal or change at any time.
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