Jets' red-hot offense clashes with Penguins' veteran superstars. Can Winnipeg's depth overcome Pittsburgh's undeniable star power in this epic showdown?
One of the hottest teams in the league right now is the Winnipeg Jets as they enter Saturday on a 8-2 run over their last ten games. They face one of their toughest challenges yet as they are set for a matchup against the hottest team in the league with the Pittsburgh Penguins.
Hockey legends in Evgeni Malkin and Sidney Crosby are leading the Penguins with impeccable numbers to start the season but the two near-40-year-old superstars are expected to eventually cool off with Saturday potentially being the game it happens.
They’ll face off against the Jets’ red-hot offense, powered by the top line of Mark Scheifele, Gabe Vilardi, and Kyle Connor. The trio has accounted for 19 of Winnipeg’s 40 goals this season, recording at least one goal in 10 of the team’s 11 games, the lone exception coming in the Jets’ 3-0 shutout loss to the Seattle Kraken. It’s shaping up to be an epic showdown between two surging teams, with only one set to come out on top.
Are The Pittsburgh Penguins For Real?
Crosby and Malkin are revitalized, leading league-leading Penguins. Can this aging core sustain a Stanley Cup push with solid goaltending and surprisingly deep support?
Lineup Storylines
Winnipeg's defense, even without Dylan Samberg, has been elite as they still rank top six in the league and will need to stop Malkin's blazing hot second line. The line featuring veteran winger Anthony Mantha and career depth forward Justin Brazeau has been one of the league’s most dangerous units early on, combining for 15 goals through Pittsburgh’s first 12 games. At the same time, the Jets will also have their hands full with the dynamic duo of Sidney Crosby and Bryan Rust, who have made a major impact of their own, totaling 12 goals between them. Eight of those belong to the Penguins’ captain, who currently leads the team in scoring.
Winnipeg will need to respond with some offense of their own yet they'll be down even more weapons on Saturday. Jets head coach Scott Arneil revealed Friday that the team would be without veteran winger Gustav Nyquist as he is day-to-day with an undisclosed injury. The current lineup adjustments have Morgan Barron hopping up to the third line center spot after his hot start to the season as he'll be joined by Nino Niederreiter and Tanner Pearson. The new fourth line will be one of their youngest units in years with Parker Ford at center while Brad Lambert and Cole Koepke take each wing.
Jets List Veteran Winger As Day-To-Day Ahead Of Penguins Matchup
Winnipeg's Gustav Nyquist leaves Thursday's game early versus Chicago Blackhawks, listed as day-to-day and inactive ahead of Saturday clash with the red hot Pittsburgh Penguins.
The Jets are now down four key starting players with Nyquist joining the list of captain Adam Lowry, Dylan Samberg and Cole Perfetti. It's been surprising for many to see the Jets continue to be one of the best teams in the league despite missing so many key players with their early season success showcasing their depth at it's finest as well as their top end talent in Mark Scheifele and Kyle Connor continually being underrated across the league.
Player & Betting Trends (Presented By BetMGM)
WPG ML (-179) | PIT ML (+145)
WPG -1.5 (+135) | PIT +1.5 (-161)
O/U 6.0 Goals
The Penguins have struggled to solve the Jets in recent years. Winnipeg enters this matchup riding a three-game winning streak against Pittsburgh and has taken four of the last five meetings overall. Despite Pittsburgh’s typically potent offense, the Penguins have managed to score more than one goal in only two of those five games, a sign that the Jets usually find a way to neutralize Crosby and Malkin.
Crosby has recorded just one point over that recent five-game stretch, a stark contrast to his previous dominance against Winnipeg, when he tallied five goals and 19 assists for 24 points in 20 games. Malkin’s story is similar with only one point in the last five meetings, but 10 goals and 15 assists for 25 points in the 20 matchups before that. This season, however, both stars appear rejuvenated. Malkin ranks among the league leaders with 17 points in 12 games, while Crosby isn’t far behind with 15 in 12. It sets up a compelling clash: will the resurgent Penguins duo finally break through, or will the Jets’ disciplined defense continue to keep them in check?
Winnipeg’s top line continues to fuel the offense, led by Mark Scheifele. While Sidney Crosby is a lock to captain Team Canada at the Olympics, Scheifele’s roster spot remains uncertain after being left off the Four Nations Face-Off roster, a snub he’s been determined to prove wrong.
Mark Scheifele’s Career-Best Start Puts Him In Team Canada, NHL Awards Talks
Fueled by Olympic aspirations, Scheifele ignites the ice, dominating NHL scoring and propelling himself into award contention.
The 32-year-old is off to the best start of his career, posting nine goals and nine assists (18 points in 11 games), surpassing his previous October best of 13 points. His production ranks second in the NHL behind Jack Eichel (19 points), and ahead of stars like Connor McDavid and Leon Draisaitl. Since the Four Nations tournament, Scheifele has 17 goals and 25 assists (42 points), just behind McDavid and Mitch Marner. He’s also dominated the Penguins recently, tallying 21 points in his last 20 games against them.
Goalie Matchup
Winnipeg: Eric Comrie
Pittsburgh: Arturs Silovs Expected (Season: 3-1-2 record, 2.44 GAA, .919 SV% | VS WPG: First Game)
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