NHL: Pittsburgh Penguins vs. Vegas Golden Knights | January 18, 2022 - 11AM

[Mary C]

POTENTIAL LINEUPS: 

Vegas Golden Knights: 

1. William Karlsson 

2. Jonathan Marchessault 

3. Reilly Smith 

4. Alex Pietrangelo 

5. Zach Whitecloud 

6. Robin Lehner 

 

Pittsburgh Penguins: 

1. Sidney Crosby 

2. Jake Guentzel 

3. Evan Rodrigues 

4. Brian Dumoulin 

5. Kris Letang 

6. Tristan Jarry  

 

For the first time this season, it’s the Pittsburgh Penguins versus the Vegas Golden Knights. Will the beloved Penguins dominate the streets of Sin City? Or will the Golden Knights show them who’s boss? This Tuesday, January 18, 2022, at 11 AM PST, the Penguins will be dropping by Las Vegas boulevard to face off with home team Golden Knights. Catch their ninth game for the year at the T-Mobile Arena in Las Vegas, Nevada. 

 

As for current standings, both teams are formidable in their own right. The Pittsburgh Penguins, who are among the top three most beloved NHL teams, are 4th in the Eastern Conference - Metropolitan Division with a 21-10-5 record. Jake Guentzel leads the team with 37 points, 19 goals, and 18 assists. Kris Letang is another star player from the Penguins with 32 points, 29 total assists, and 11 PPA (Power Play Assists). Known for their offense and depth, the Penguins possess an abundance of talent. Bryan Rust and Danton Heinen are solid wingers on the team. On the downside, goaltending seems to be the notable weakness of the Penguins. During the 2021 playoffs, goaltender Tristan Jarry had a dreadful postseason with some finding it one of the main reasons for the Penguins’ defeat from the NY Islanders during the first round.  

 

The Vegas Golden Knights, on the other hand, boast first place in the Western Conference - Pacific Division with a 23-14-2 record. Being one of the quick-risers of the NHL, the Golden Knights are one of the expansion teams that don’t seem much of an expansion team due to their success. The Vegas team has gotten as far as the Stanley Cup Finals in their first season and qualified for the Stanley Cup playoffs in all four of their seasons. As of late, Chandler Stephenson leads the team with 36 points, 10 goals, and 26 assists. Jonathan Marchessault is another force to be reckoned with garnering 18 goals, 119 saves, and 3 PPG (Power Play Goals). While the Golden Knights traded off Marc-Andre Fleury, a.k.a. the face of Vegas Golden Knights since 2017, fans and analysts alike saw this as a major risk and even a weakness. However, replacement Robin Lehner showed them that they can manage quite well without Fleury. 

 

Our prediction for January 18th’s game is quite clear. The Pittsburgh team houses four injured reserve players including the key players Rust and Heinen due to COVID-19 and health protocols respectively. The Golden Knights only have Max Pacioretty out due to a wrist injury but key players  Stephenson and Marchessault are very much ready to be on the ice. We’re betting on a 4-2 game in favor of Vegas. 11 AM PST, Tuesday, January 18, 2022, at the  T-Mobile Arena.