The Pittsburgh Penguins are 17-8 in their last 25 games against the Ottawa Senators. With one more win over the Senators this Tuesday night in Game 6 the Penguins can punch their ticket to the Stanley Cup Final.
Pittsburgh is a -150 road favorite at Ottawa at sportsbooks monitored by OddsShark.com. The Penguins have won seven of their last 10 playoff road games, a trend that Ottawa will try to break as a +130 home underdog.
Pittsburgh Penguins
Through the first three games of this series, the Penguins looked flummoxed by Ottawa’s 1-3-1 defensive scheme, managing only three goals through three games and falling into a 2-1 series hole.
The switch has flipped since then as Pittsburgh scored the first three goals in a 3-2 win over Ottawa in Game 4 and blew the Senators away at home in Game 5 with a 7-0 victory. Suddenly the defending champs are the ones with the confidence and momentum heading into Game 6.
The Penguins are 2-0 since Matt Murray has regained his starting role in net and 15-6 in his last 21 postseason starts per the OddsShark NHL Database.
Betting Line / Total: Pittsburgh -150 / 5 Goals
Ottawa Senators
With the exception of a five-goal outburst in Game 3, the Senators have had trouble scoring throughout this series. Ottawa has scored only five goals in the other four games in this series combined, and have found the back of the net only twice on 51 shots since Matt Murray’s return.
The Senators will need to place an emphasis on getting off to a better start in Game 6; the team that has scored first is a perfect 5-0 through the first five games in this head-to-head matchup.
Tuesday night’s total is set at five goals on the Vegas lines. The OVER is 4-1-2 in Ottawa’s last seven home games this postseason.
Ottawa is just 2-4 in its last six postseason games when facing elimination, including a 1-2 record in its last three elimination games against Pittsburgh.
The Penguins’ experience and resiliency have shone through in the last two games, and now the Senators must prove that they can overcome adversity if they hope to win Game 6 and advance to the Stanley Cup Final for the first time since 2007.
Pittsburgh Penguins at Ottawa Senators
When: Tuesday, May 23, 8 p.m. ET
Where: Canadian Tire Centre, Ottawa, Ontario
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