Pittsburgh and Edmonton have another productive game in the NHL championship
Pittsburgh will take on Edmonton on April 27 at 2:00 PM MSC at PPG Paints Arena in a NHL regular season game. Both clubs recently played some of the most entertaining games in the league, if not always beating their opponents. The main task for the season to win a playoff berth is long done, the only intrigue lies in the final positions from which the teams will start their fight for the Stanley Cup. Their upcoming meeting probably won’t buck the recent trend and will also prove to be an entertaining matchup – it could be the highlight of NHL game day.
Standings
After a string of scoreless games, the Penguins picked up two blowout victories over Boston (4-0) and Detroit (7-2). It was not possible to develop the success, as the road trip to Philadelphia in the previous game day ended with the team losing with a large difference in the score – 1:4. Currently, the majority of games with the participation of “Pittsburgh” are held productive, the club scores a lot, but misses a lot.
Holding the third position in the standings of the Capital One Division, “Penguins” probably will not be able to rise higher – with 101 points they are 7 points behind the above-mentioned “Rangers”. There is a risk of falling to fourth place, which is occupied by Washington, the difference between the rivals is 1 point.
Edmonton broke their four-game winning streak, beating opponents like Nashville (4-0), Vegas (4-0), Dallas (5-2) and Colorado (6-3). The Oilers were stopped by Columbus, who beat their opponent at home by a large margin (5-2).
Now Edmonton is in second place in the Pacific Division standings. The club has 98 points and would not be able to push Calgary from the top of the table even in the best of circumstances, since the difference between the opponents is 10 points. The Oilers are also guaranteed a playoff spot, despite the division’s strong competition.
Looking forward to a productive game
In the current regular season, the teams played one head-to-head game: Edmonton defeated the Penguins 5-2 at home. In four of the last six games, they have scored at least five goals between them during regular time. Pittsburgh has the advantage with 4 wins.
Both teams have a very unreliable defense this season. “Edmonton conceded 245 pucks, only three of the top three outsiders in the Pacific Division have an even worse record. Pittsburgh conceded 221 pucks, significantly more than both Carolina and the Rangers, leaders of the Capital One division. At the same time, both teams show excellent offensive play.
We should expect a high level of performance from the upcoming meeting as well. The opponents are approaching it without any serious personnel problems. The hockey players show a well-organized game on offense, so they are unlikely to sit back on defense.
NHL: Florida goes to Boston for revenge
“Boston” against “Florida” is one of the most interesting matches of the upcoming game day in the NHL. The opponents will meet on the ice of TD Garden, the home arena of the Bruins, on April 27 at 02:00 MSK. From a tournament standpoint, this game is no longer a big deal for the teams, as they secured a playoff spot long ago. There is a reason why the Panthers will try to beat their opponent – their previous face-to-face meeting ended in a frustrating defeat and now there is an opportunity for revenge. Can Boston once again handle the leader of the Atlantic Division?
Current Performance
After a bit of a game slump in early April, the Bruins are back in good shape and have posted some bright wins in the final stretch of the season. They beat Pittsburgh (2-1), overcame St. Louis (3-2 in overtime) and defeated Washington (3-1). Their recent 4-0 loss to Pittsburgh had no impact on Boston’s standing in the NHL, which had no trouble defeating Montreal (5-3) on the previous NHL game day.
“The Bruins secured a playoff berth and will likely start the season ranked fourth in the Atlantic Division. However, the team has a chance to move up a notch – the difference with Tampa Bay is now 3 points.
For a long time, no team in the league could stop Florida. The team has gained impressive form and has beaten all opponents. Among the most memorable of the Panthers’ recent triumphs are the defeats of Winnipeg (6-1) and Detroit (6-1, 5-2). Breaking the club’s winning streak was Tampa Bay, which won on the road, 8-4.
“Florida” leads the Atlantic Division table and with 120 points is ahead of the next in line “Toronto” by 9 points. They are one of the best teams in the league in terms of current standings.
Chances of winning
The previous meeting between the opponents was also held on the ice “Boston”, where the team managed to get a hard victory (3-2 after the shootout). According to the latest results, the opponents are tied – 3 wins in 6 games. In 3 cases, the winner was determined only by the results of extra time. Only in 2 games was a total of 5.5 pucks broken.
The teams are approaching the upcoming meeting with practically optimal lineups, although Florida has one serious loss – the main defender Aaron Ekblad will not play due to injury.
Considering the clubs’ recent performances in the league, their results, as well as their lack of tournament motivation, it is not easy to pick a clear favorite in the upcoming matchup. “Panthers” show the attacking hockey and probably will want to get even for the previous defeat. With such an opponent, Boston will probably have to play second best.