Avalanche vs Penguins Prediction, Picks, Odds & Starting Goalies (Tuesday, Mar. 24)

• Colorado is a -154 road favorite in Pittsburgh behind Scott Wedgewood, who has a 1.65 GAA since the Olympic break
• The Penguins are 5-0 in their last 5 against Central Division opponents but just lost 5-1 in Carolina on Sunday
• See my Avalanche vs Penguins prediction, picks, odds and starting goalies for Tuesday night

Pittsburgh shocked the Avalanche 7-2 in Denver just eight days ago, and now these two run it back at PPG Paints Arena on Tuesday night.

The league-leading Avs (46-13-10) are getting healthy at the right time. Logan O’Connor and Ross Colton are both back in the lineup, and Gabe Landeskog returned from a two-week absence on Sunday. That means Nazem Kadri shifts to center on the third line, giving Colorado three legitimate scoring lines down the middle for the first time this season.

Pittsburgh (35-19-16) needs to bounce back after a 5-1 loss in Carolina on Sunday, and they’ll be without Evgeni Malkin tonight. Puck drop is set for 7 pm ET from PPG Paints Arena. My Avalanche vs Penguins prediction, picks and NHL odds are below.

Avalanche vs Penguins Prediction

• Over 6.5 Goals (-118 at FanDuel)

The last meeting between these two produced nine goals, and I’m expecting another high-scoring game for my Avalanche vs Penguins prediction. The over has hit in 8 of Pittsburgh’s last 10 games overall and in 5 of 5 Penguins games following a loss. It’s also cashed in 3 of the last 4 head-to-head meetings.

Combined, these teams average 7.09 goals per game this season. Colorado leads the NHL at 3.68 per game, while Pittsburgh is seventh at 3.41. The Penguins also own the fifth-best power play in the league at 24.6%, and the over is 4-0 in their last 4 games against Central Division opponents.

Avalanche vs Penguins Key Stats

Pittsburgh’s .891 save percentage ranks 18th, and Arturs Silovs has allowed four or more goals in 4 of his last 5 starts. On the other end, Wedgewood has been outstanding, but the Penguins proved they can score on him in the 7-2 win eight days ago. Both penalty kills rank in the top three, but that shouldn’t matter much in a game where both teams can score at 5-on-5.

Avalanche vs Penguins Picks

Two Penguins props for my Avalanche vs Penguins picks tonight.

• Anthony Mantha Over 0.5 Points (+128)

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Mantha has gone over 0.5 points in 9 of his last 10 games as an underdog, averaging 1.1 points per game in that stretch. The Penguins are +139 home underdogs tonight, and Mantha thrives in that role. Plus money on a 90% hit rate is an easy play.

• Bryan Rust Over 2.5 Shots on Goal (-110)

Rust has cleared 2.5 shots in 6 of his last 7 games against opponents with a winning record, averaging 3.86 per game. The veteran winger rides shotgun with Crosby on the top line and will see plenty of ice time. I’ll close out my Avalanche vs Penguins picks with Rust’s shots over at -110.

Avalanche vs Penguins Odds

Odds as of Mar. 24. Take advantage of the ScoreBet promo code and bet on tonight’s Avalanche vs Penguins odds.

Colorado enters as a -154 road favorite, which translates to roughly a 61% implied probability. Pittsburgh’s +139 gives them about a 42% chance. The Avalanche vs Penguins odds have the total at 6.5 with the over juiced at -125. The puck line has Colorado at -1.5 and Pittsburgh at +1.5.

Avalanche vs Penguins Starting Goalies

Both starters are confirmed for Tuesday night. Scott Wedgewood gets the call for Colorado after saving 17 of 18 shots in a 2-1 shootout loss to Dallas last Wednesday. The 33-year-old has been outstanding since the Olympic break, going 5-1-1 with a 1.65 GAA and .935 save percentage in seven appearances.

Arturs Silovs starts for Pittsburgh after a rough stretch. The 25-year-old Latvian netminder has allowed four or more goals in 4 of his last 5 starts, posting a 3.88 GAA and .843 save percentage in that span. He was solid against Colorado in the 7-2 win eight days ago though, stopping 25 of 27 shots.

Avalanche vs Penguins Goalie Stats

Artturi Lehkonen (upper body) is now the only forward missing from Colorado’s lineup. Pittsburgh is without Evgeni Malkin (upper body, ruled out), Blake Lizotte (upper body, out four weeks), and Filip Hallander (leg). Kevin Hayes (upper body) and Ryan Shea (face) are both questionable.