Pittsburgh Penguins vs. Tampa Bay Lightning – 10/23/2019 Free Pick & NHL Betting Predictions

The Penguins have roared out of the gate in the 2019/20 NHL season with a 6-3-0 record. Pittsburgh’s 12 points have them just 2 points back from Washington in the Metropolitan.

It’s been a different beginning to the new season for last year’s President’s Trophy Winners Tampa Bay. The Lightning are still in a good spot though with a 4-3-1 record.

Pittsburgh Penguins

Pittsburgh was shut out in their last game, a 0-3 loss to Vegas at home as +110 underdogs. The Penguins can be forgiven for a lackluster offensive showing in that one as it came on day two of a back-to-back.

The Penguins will have had 3 nights off since their last game. The look to get into another groove just like the 5 game win streak that the team put together prior to the loss to the Golden Knights.

The Penguins have played only two road games this year, but they’ve won them both and looked great doing so. In wins at Minnesota and at Winnipeg, Pittsburgh won by a combined goal tally of 14-6.

For as good as their offense has been at times this season, it’s the Pittsburgh defense that 

has guided their hot start. The Penguins have a top 8 defense in goals against and have allowed the 5th fewest SOG in the NHL.

Tampa Bay Lightning

Tampa Bay has had a bit of a mediocre start to the year, but some of that can be blamed on playing 6 of their first 8 games on the road.

The Lightning will also have had 3 days off since their last game. They were finally back home on Saturday, but fell 2-6 to a Colorado team playing on night two of a back-to-back. Colorado’s Tyson Jost scored 3 goals on 3 shots in that game.

Jon Cooper’s team has a tough go of it vs. a good Pittsburgh defense on Wednesday. The Lightning are 8th in the league in goals though powered by a combined 17 points from Steven Stamkos and Nikita Kucherov.

The total for this rivalry game is 6.5, on the high side not just because of the potential of both offenses but also Tampa Bay’s struggles on defense and in net.

Andrei Vasilevskiy will get the start in net on Wednesday. He stopped only 18 of 24 Colorado shots on Saturday and has also given up 4 in a loss to the Panthers earlier in the season. Vasilevskiy is still 4-2 on the year though.