Pittsburgh Penguins vs Vegas Golden Knights Picks and Predictions March 11th 2025

Golden Knights Face Challenge to Secure Rare Win in Pittsburgh

The Vegas Golden Knights are looking to shake off a tough home loss as they hit the road for a four-game Eastern Conference trip. Their first stop? Pittsburgh, where history hasn’t been kind to them.

Despite leading the Pacific Division, Vegas has struggled when visiting the Penguins, managing just one win in six trips to PPG Paints Arena. Can they flip the script on Tuesday night?

Vegas Aims to Tighten Up Defensively

The Golden Knights have been an offensive force lately, scoring five or more goals in three of their last five games. Tomas Hertl has been on fire, recording a hat trick in their latest game, a 6-5 loss to the Los Angeles Kings. He now has 11 points in his last eight outings.

However, defensive lapses have been a growing concern. Vegas has also allowed at least five goals in three of their last six contests, something head coach Bruce Cassidy knows must change.

“I just think, for whatever reason, we weren’t attentive to detail when the puck wasn’t there,” Cassidy said. “That’s something that I believe will be better (this week) … We’re better than that.”

Their defensive inconsistency showed again on Sunday when goalie Adin Hill had a rare off-night, giving up six goals on 35 shots. That came after backup Ilya Samsonov delivered a 22-save shutout against Pittsburgh just days earlier.

Can Vegas Solve Its Pittsburgh Problem?

The Golden Knights dominated the Penguins in their 4-0 win at home last Friday, with Mark Stone and Tanner Pearson each contributing a goal and an assist. But winning in Pittsburgh has historically been a different story.

Since entering the NHL in 2017, Vegas is just 1-5-0 in Pittsburgh, getting outscored 21-14 in those matchups. Their only win came way back in October 2019—a 3-0 shutout.

Will this year’s Golden Knights squad finally reverse that trend?

Bet Smarter on the NHL

Start Winning Today

Get Free Trial

Penguins Fighting to Stay Afloat

The Penguins are staring at a third straight season without playoff hockey, and their home performances haven’t helped their case. They’re just 2-6-2 at home since mid-January, giving up 43 goals in that span.

However, they enter Tuesday’s game on a high note after salvaging a 3-1 win over the Minnesota Wild on Sunday. Sidney Crosby led the charge with two third-period goals, becoming just the fourth player in NHL history to record 17 20-goal seasons with the same franchise.

“You say it every time he hits a milestone,” teammate Bryan Rust said. “It’s his incredible work ethic year in and year out … Still leading this team and this league by example.”

Crosby, who has 17 points in his last 14 games, has been more of a playmaker against Vegas, recording five assists in six career home games against the Golden Knights—but surprisingly, no goals.

Who’s in Net for Pittsburgh?

Goaltending has been a rollercoaster for the Penguins. Tristan Jarry made his first NHL start in nearly two months on Sunday, stopping 29 shots in the win over Minnesota. It’s uncertain if he’ll get another start Tuesday or if Pittsburgh will turn back to Alex Nedeljkovic, who struggled in Vegas last week, allowing four goals on 27 shots.

Nedeljkovic has lost six straight starts and has posted a rough 4.43 goals-against average with an .843 save percentage in that stretch. If the Penguins hope to slow down Vegas’ high-powered attack, they’ll need better goaltending—regardless of who gets the nod.

Final Thoughts: Can Vegas Break the Trend?

The Golden Knights have been one of the NHL’s most consistent teams this season, but winning in Pittsburgh has never been easy for them. With the Penguins desperate for any spark, this game presents an interesting challenge for both teams.

Want the best odds? Compare betting lines now 👉 NHL Odds Page

Will Vegas clean up its defensive struggles and finally claim a rare road win in the Steel City? Or will Crosby and the Penguins find a way to defend home ice? One thing’s for sure—Tuesday night’s matchup is shaping up to be a battle worth watching.