Carolina Hurricanes vs Pittsburgh Penguins Picks and Predictions January 5th 2025

Carolina Hurricanes vs Pittsburgh Penguins January 5th 2025

Planning on watching today’s Penguins and Hurricanes game? Catch the action at Lenovo Center in Raleigh, NC, as the Hurricanes hosts this showdown at 6:00 ET on ESPN+. The over/under for this matchup is currently set at 6.5 goals and the Hurricanes are the -1.5 favorite to win at home vs. the Penguins.

Pittsburgh vs. Carolina Key Information

• Teams: Penguins at Hurricanes
• Where: Lenovo Center Raleigh
• Date: Sunday, January 5th
• Betting Odds CAR -216 | PIT +182 O/U 6.5

The Penguins Can Win If…

Pittsburgh moved closer to .500 with a 3-1 road win against the Canadiens, improving to 17-18-6. The Penguins, favored by -1.5 goals, covered the puck line. The total was set at 6.5 goals, but the combined score of 4 fell short.

Sidney Crosby led the way with two goals, while Blake Lizotte added an empty-netter to seal the win. Pittsburgh’s defense kept Montreal scoreless until the third period.

Sidney Crosby led the way for the Penguins, scoring twice in their 3-1 victory over Montreal. He netted his 4th goal of the season at 4:03 in the first period, followed by his 5th on a power play at 1:20 in the second. Blake Lizotte added an empty-netter, his 2nd goal of the year, with just 45 seconds left in the game.

Pittsburgh fired 24 shots on goal but also had 14 giveaways. The Penguins scored twice in the first period, with Crosby’s 4th goal and Lizotte’s empty-netter. Crosby’s 5th came on a power play at 1:20 in the second period.

Defensively, the Penguins will look to carry over their performance from the previous game, where they gave up just one goal to the Canadiens. Alex Nedeljkovic recorded 25 saves with a 96.2% save percentage, and the defense added 5 takeaways and 19 hits. The only goal they allowed came in the 3rd period, at the 5:32 mark.

• Over their last three regular season games, the Penguins have gone 1-2 straight up. Against the spread, they have a strong mark of 2-1 along with an over-under record of 1-2.
• The Penguins have gone 5-5 over their last ten regular season games. In these contests, the team went just 7-3 against the spread, while going 5-5 on the over-under.

The Hurricanes Can Win If…

With a 4-2 win over the Capitals, the Hurricanes moved to 23-14-2 for the season. Carolina covered the puck line as -1.5 goal favorites, and the total of 6 goals matched the pre-game line.

Carolina jumped out to a 1-0 lead at 14:01 in the first period, but the Capitals responded with two goals before the period ended. The Hurricanes tied it up early in the second and added two more goals to secure the win, including an empty-netter with 9 seconds left in the game.

Carolina’s offense generated 45 shots on goal in their 4-2 win over the Capitals. Dmitry Orlov scored twice, bringing his season total to 3 goals. Martin Necas added his 6th goal of the season and also picked up two assists, his 12th of the year coming on Orlov’s second goal.

Andrei Svechnikov closed out the scoring with an empty-netter, his 6th goal of the season. The Hurricanes’ scoring came in the 1st, 2nd, and 3rd periods, with their final goal coming just 9 seconds before the end of the game.

Carolina’s defense gave up two goals late in the first period, but they didn’t allow another after that, leading to a 4-2 win over Washington. Pyotr Kochetkov made 19 saves with a 90.5% save percentage, and the Hurricanes’ defense finished with 7 takeaways and 10 hits.

• Across Carolina’s last three regular season games, their record sits at 1-2. Across these games, their puck line record was just 1-2, while posting an over-under record of 1-2.
• Through their last ten regular season contests, Carolina has a record of 5-5. Their record vs the puck line sits at 5-5 in these matchups, while posting a 4-6 over-under mark.

The Lean

If you’re looking for a straight moneyline bet, then the Hurricanes are the way to go. However, with a payout of -216, you might consider using this bet as a leg of a parlay.

If you’re looking for my recommendation on the puck line, I suggest taking the Penguins to cover. Even if the Hurricanes manage to win outright, this game is expected to remain competitive, and the Penguins should cover the puck line.

If you’re looking at the over/under line set at 6.5 goals, our prediction is that this game will exceed that mark, and we strongly advise placing a bet on the over.

Hurricanes and Penguins Seek Answers Amid Recent Struggles

The Carolina Hurricanes and Pittsburgh Penguins, two teams with high aspirations, find themselves in need of solutions as they prepare to clash on Sunday in Raleigh, N.C. Both squads are struggling, having dropped four of their last six games, and enter the matchup searching for much-needed momentum.

Hurricanes Stumble in Offensive Slump

The Hurricanes are coming off a disappointing 4-0 home loss to the Minnesota Wild, where their offense looked flat and out of sync. With just 21 shots on goal, Carolina failed to capitalize on opportunities, including a lengthy power play early in the game.

Coach Rod Brind’Amour didn’t mince words during a bench interview:

“We’re so flat, we have no chance the way we’re going right now,” he said.

A critical moment came in the second period when Jalen Chatfield appeared to score for Carolina. However, the goal was overturned after a review determined Jackson Blake was offside during a line change. This misstep highlighted the Hurricanes’ struggles to generate consistent offensive pressure.

Goaltender Pyotr Kochetkov made 23 saves but received little support from his teammates. Jack Drury’s return to the lineup after a 10-game absence due to a broken thumb offered a sliver of positivity, but the team’s overall performance left much to be desired.

Penguins Show Resilience but Fall Short

The Penguins, meanwhile, suffered a 3-2 shootout loss to the Florida Panthers on Friday. Despite the defeat, Pittsburgh showcased resilience, tying the game late in regulation with Rickard Rakell’s power-play goal during a 6-on-4 advantage.

Coach Mike Sullivan praised his team’s effort:

“I loved our compete level down the stretch. The intentions are there, and we’re trying to play the game the right way.”

Sidney Crosby continued to lead by example, notching a power-play goal, while Tristan Jarry stood tall with 31 saves. However, the Penguins missed opportunities to finish the game in overtime and the shootout, highlighting a recurring issue of inconsistency.

The Penguins are also dealing with injuries. Forward Philip Tomasino left the game with an apparent lower-body injury, while defenseman Owen Pickering returned after missing four games with a concussion.

Key Players Look to Break Through

For Carolina, Martin Necas remains the focal point of their offense, leading the team with 46 points (15 goals, 31 assists). Jack Roslovic’s 17 goals make him the Hurricanes’ top finisher, while Sebastian Aho and Andrei Svechnikov round out the team’s scoring leaders.

The Penguins rely on Sidney Crosby’s leadership and consistent production, as he leads the team with 42 points (11 goals, 31 assists). Rickard Rakell’s team-high 18 goals and Bryan Rust’s 15 provide additional firepower, though Pittsburgh’s depth scoring remains a concern.

NHL Best Record: Odds and Expert Predictions

A Pivotal Game for Momentum

Sunday’s game represents more than just two points in the standings for both teams. For the Hurricanes, it’s a chance to re-energize their offense and restore confidence after a disheartening shutout. For the Penguins, it’s an opportunity to convert their effort and resilience into tangible results.

The matchup pits two teams desperate for a win against each other, ensuring a high-energy contest at PNC Arena. With key players like Crosby and Necas leading the charge, both teams will look to set the tone early and build a foundation for the critical weeks ahead.