Pittsburgh Penguins vs Florida Panthers Betting Preview
Two of the NHL’s elder stars meet Thursday as Sidney Crosby leads the Pittsburgh Penguins against Brad Marchand and the Florida Panthers at Amerant Bank Arena. Both players remain elite, and both teams enter the night with something to prove in the Eastern Conference.
Crosby has recorded points in four straight games and recently surpassed Mario Lemieux as the Penguins’ all-time points leader. Pittsburgh has won three in a row to improve to 5-2. Florida, 4-4 overall, snapped a four-game losing streak with a win in Boston.
You can find full team profiles and stats for both clubs on the NHL teams page
Line Movement and Odds
Florida opened as a short favorite and remains around -200 on the moneyline, with Pittsburgh sitting near +170. The total is 6.0, and early splits at the NHL odds page show heavier public money leaning toward the home side.
Pittsburgh has covered three straight puck lines, while Florida has failed to cover five in a row. The market shows some value on the Penguins if the number drifts higher before puck drop.
Matchup Breakdown
Pittsburgh Outlook
The Penguins’ top line continues to drive the offense. Crosby and Evgeni Malkin combine for 18 points through seven games, while the defense has limited opponents to under 2.5 goals per game. Tristan Jarry and Artūrs Silovs have split duties in net effectively.
Florida Outlook
Florida’s scoring has been inconsistent without Aleksander Barkov and Matthew Tkachuk. The Panthers still play a physical game and are undefeated at home, but their five-on-five scoring rank has dipped to the league’s middle tier.
For more game breakdowns, visit the NHL previews section
Injuries and Conditions
Pittsburgh Penguins
- Joel Blomqvist (G) – Out, lower body
- Kevin Hayes (RW) – Out, upper body
- Tanner Howe (LW) – Out, undisclosed
- Rutger McGroarty (C) – Out, upper body
- Emil Pieniniemi (D) – Suspension
- Jack St. Ivany (D) – Out, lower body
See full details on the Pittsburgh Penguins injury report
Florida Panthers
- Aleksander Barkov (C) – Out, knee
- Dmitry Kulikov (D) – Out, upper body
- Tomas Nosek (LW) – Out, knee
- Matthew Tkachuk (LW) – Out, lower body
Full updates are available on the Florida Panthers injury report
This game is indoors, so weather will not affect play.
Best Bets and Prediction
The Penguins are 3-0 SU and ATS over their past three and have tightened their defensive zone coverage. Florida’s home streak is strong, but missing key forwards reduces their scoring ceiling.
Best Bet: Penguins +1.5 puck line
Lean: Under 6 goals
Projected Score: Pittsburgh 3 – Florida 2
To compare updated lines and totals, check the live NHL odds page
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