Arizona vs Pittsburgh Prediction: the Penguins to Outplay the Comfortable Opponent

Prediction for the NHL match between Arizona vs Pittsburgh, which will take place on January 23d. Who will turn out to be stronger? Check the team conditions! Several betting options are available.

Arizona is refusing to be an underdog in the league for the second year in a row. It didn't help the Coyotes make the playoffs last season, but they played solid at times. This season, they were in the top eight for a long time, but the results started to fall off. In their last nine games, the team beat Boston 4-3, Minnesota 6-0, and Nashville 3-2, but lost the other six. So, they are now in ninth place in the Western Conference standings.

Pittsburgh is doing their best to stay in the playoff hunt, but it's been a long since the Pennsylvanians made the Cup Final Eight. The Penguins have been inconsistent, which isn't surprising since they don't have many young players in the lineup. They looked great at the end of December, entering the top 8. But in their last eight games, the Penguins have only beaten Boston 6-5, Philadelphia 4-1, and Seattle 3-0, good enough for 12th place in the Eastern Conference standings.

Arizona and Pittsburgh sit outside the top eight in their conferences. Both teams have lost more than they have won lately, and their chances of making the playoffs are dwindling. The head-to-head statistics speak for the Penguins: the Coyotes have failed to win in 11 straight meetings. Now, Mike Sullivan's team must earn two points to move closer to the coveted top eight. 

We have already noted that Arizona and Pittsburgh are still outside the playoffs, so now it is essential for them to gain all points, and bright and attacking hockey will wait for better times. In their last three games, the Coyotes have scored only 12 goals (4.00 average per game), while the Penguins shot and conceded 27 goals (4.50 average per game) in their last six games.