Arizona Coyotes vs Pittsburgh Penguins Picks and Predictions January 29th 2025

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Penguins, Utah Look to Step Up and End Losing Streaks

Both the Pittsburgh Penguins and the Utah Hockey Club are desperate for a turnaround as they prepare to clash Wednesday in Salt Lake City. Each team is struggling, and with the playoff race tightening, they need to find a way to get back on track before it’s too late.

Penguins Searching for Offense

Pittsburgh enters the matchup on a three-game losing streak, having won only three of its last 14 contests (3-8-3). Their latest setback, a 2-1 loss to the San Jose Sharks on Monday, was another frustrating night where scoring opportunities went unconverted.

“It is a game of mistakes, and right now, we are making the ones that are hurting us,” said Penguins captain Sidney Crosby.

Crosby briefly gave Pittsburgh hope when he tied the game just 24 seconds into the third period, but the Penguins failed to capitalize against a struggling Sharks team with the league’s worst goals-against average.

Adding to their frustration, forward Drew O’Connor was unable to convert a penalty shot midway through the final frame.

“When you have the opportunity for a penalty shot, you have to find a way to put it in,” O’Connor said.

The Penguins’ biggest issue has been their lack of offense—they’ve scored just one goal in each of their last three outings. Despite generating solid chances, they’ve been unable to finish plays.

“We’ve had a lot of looks the last few games and haven’t necessarily been scoring,” O’Connor added. “It can be frustrating, but we have to regroup and get the next one. We’ve been doing good things; we just haven’t gotten the result.”

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Utah Struggles to Close Out Games

Utah is also facing its own set of problems, dropping two straight games where they were tied heading into the third period. Their most recent loss, a 3-1 defeat against the Ottawa Senators on Sunday, exposed their inability to capitalize on key moments.

“We played well until we gave up the second goal,” Utah head coach Andre Tourigny said. “I think we were stingy defensively, we created chances, but we made a mistake and that threw us off a little bit.”

Clayton Keller has been a bright spot, extending his point streak to seven games (four goals, nine assists) with a tally against Ottawa. But beyond his contributions, Utah has struggled to find enough scoring depth to secure victories.

“We generated enough chances. We had two breakaways,” Tourigny added. “We could’ve pulled away, but we didn’t. You need to stay with it and be patient.”

Utah Looks to Build on Home Success

The upcoming four-game homestand could be crucial for Utah as they try to improve their subpar record at the Delta Center (8-11-4). However, there’s some reason for optimism—they have won their last two home games.

“We’ve just got to have the confidence and swagger,” defenseman Olli Maatta told the Salt Lake Tribune. “Just trusting our game.”

When these teams last met on Nov. 23 in Pittsburgh, Utah dominated with a 6-1 win behind two goals and an assist from Dylan Guenther.

With both teams desperate for a win, Wednesday’s matchup could be a turning point for one of them. The question is—who will step up when it matters most?

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