The NHL Playoffs Odds for tonight's game between the Pittsburgh Penguins and Columbus Blue Jackets currently have the Penguins favored to win tonight. The Penguins and Blue Jackets meet up in Game 6 of their first round playoff series with the Penguins having a chance to clinch the series.
The Penguins pulled away for a victory in Game 5, breaking the 2-2 series tie with the Blue Jackets. Columbus has won the franchises' first two games in this series and are looking to get another one here on home ice tonight. Yet, the oddsmakers have Penguins favored to get a victory tonight and end this series before it heads back to Pittsburgh.
Before Game 5's 3-1 Pittsburgh win, each of these games ended in a 4-3 score. Columbus split with Pittsburgh in both of their home games, winning an overtime contest in Game 4. They also won a double overtime game back in Pittsburgh in Game 2. They're going to be a desperate team on their own ice here tonight, looking to play well enough to keep their season alive. The Penguins surely don't want to have to play a Game 7 in this series, when anything is certainly possible. They have a chance to end the series tonight and if they can't, they will have a lot of pressure on them in the seventh and deciding game.
Pittsburgh played well in Game 5, beating up on the Blue Jackets and looking sharp on both ends of the ice. Columbus scored the opening goal of that game, but Pittsburgh was able to gain control and skate away with a victory. But the Blue Jackets have been in playoff-mode for about a month now, playing their way into the post season and now getting to a sixth game against the Pens, something many didn't think could be done.
If the Penguins can get a victory here tonight, they'll at least have a little bit of a chance to get some rest before their second round series. Tonight they'll have to keep peppering Blue Jackets goalie Sergei Bobrovsky. Pittsburgh tagged 50 shots on goal in Game 5, but Bobrovsky stopped 48 of them. He's played pretty solid this post season and will need to keep his team in this game tonight.
Pittsburgh goalie Marc-Andre Fleury has also played well. He saw only 24 shots from Columbus and stopped 23 of them in Game 5.
The Blue Jackets have trailed twice in this series already, but now they face a season-ending loss. Columbus is saying all of the pressure is on Pittsburgh, but the Penguins have been in this situation before and understand the pressure. Tonight we think they can end the series, moving onto the second round.
Free Pick: Pittsburgh 3, Columbus 2
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