NHL

Pittsburgh Penguins vs Colorado Avalanche prediction

Pittsburgh Penguins4–6–1 · Home Colorado Avalanche6–4–1 · Away07:00 PMJan 12

Lines

Lines from the last game · may change

Pittsburgh Penguins

Last game: Oct 22

AS37SilovsProjected

TN18NovakLW SC87CrosbyC RR67RakellRW

1st line

10:05 together at 5-on-5

#	Player	TOI	G	A	P
18	Tommy Novak LW	16:37	3	5	8
87	Sidney Crosby C	16:39	3	3	6
67	Rickard Rakell RW	19:06	1	3	4

18 points this season

AK62KuzmenkoLW BL46LizotteC

2McGroartyRW

2nd line

9:30 together at 5-on-5

#	Player	TOI	A	P
62	Andrei Kuzmenko LW	14:46	1	1
46	Blake Lizotte C	16:30	4	4
2	Rutger McGroarty RW	15:05	0	0

5 points this season

NR14RobertsonLW CD19DewarC ES25SöderblomRW

3rd line

8:44 together at 5-on-5

#	Player	TOI	G	A	P
14	Nick Robertson LW	14:06	6	0	6
19	Connor Dewar C	16:42	1	3	4
25	Elmer Söderblom RW	10:35	0	0	0

10 points this season

HL22LapierreLW EM71MalkinC VK41KoivunenRW

4th line

7:16 together at 5-on-5

#	Player	TOI	G	A	P
22	Hendrix Lapierre LW	10:54	2	3	5
71	Evgeni Malkin C	12:54	6	3	9
41	Ville Koivunen RW	13:26	1	3	4

18 points this season

EK65KarlssonD SS24StastneyD

1st pair

13:20 together at 5-on-5

#	Player	TOI	G	A	P
65	Erik Karlsson D	24:09	1	10	11
24	Spencer Stastney D	18:23	0	2	2

13 points this season

KK6KorczakD DC72CarlileD

2nd pair

12:13 together at 5-on-5

#	Player	TOI	G	A	P
6	Kaedan Korczak D	19:22	0	5	5
72	Declan Carlile D	19:13	3	2	5

10 points this season

KL58LetangD IS7SolovyovD

3rd pair

10:57 together at 5-on-5

#	Player	TOI	G	A	P
58	Kris Letang D	16:55	0	5	5
7	Ilya Solovyov D	16:38	0	0	0

5 points this season

RR67RakellF SC87CrosbyF TN18NovakF

VK41KoivunenF EK65KarlssonD

Power play unit 1

2:37 together on the power play

#	Player	TOI	G	A	P
67	Rickard Rakell F	19:06	1	3	4
87	Sidney Crosby F	16:39	3	3	6
18	Tommy Novak F	16:37	3	5	8
41	Ville Koivunen F	13:26	1	3	4
65	Erik Karlsson D	24:09	1	10	11

33 points this season

2McGroartyF AK62KuzmenkoF EM71MalkinF

HL22LapierreF KL58LetangD

Power play unit 2

1:05 together on the power play

#	Player	TOI	G	A	P
2	Rutger McGroarty F	15:05	0	0	0
62	Andrei Kuzmenko F	14:46	0	1	1
71	Evgeni Malkin F	12:54	6	3	9
22	Hendrix Lapierre F	10:54	2	3	5
58	Kris Letang D	16:55	0	5	5

20 points this season

CD19DewarF BL46LizotteF

KK6KorczakD DC72CarlileD

Penalty kill unit 1

1:37 together on the penalty kill

#	Player	TOI	G	A	P
19	Connor Dewar F	16:42	1	3	4
46	Blake Lizotte F	16:30	0	4	4
6	Kaedan Korczak D	19:22	0	5	5
72	Declan Carlile D	19:13	3	2	5

18 points this season

RR67RakellF NR14RobertsonF

EK65KarlssonD IS7SolovyovD

Penalty kill unit 2

1:12 together on the penalty kill

#	Player	TOI	G	A	P
67	Rickard Rakell F	19:06	1	3	4
14	Nick Robertson F	14:06	6	0	6
65	Erik Karlsson D	24:09	1	10	11
7	Ilya Solovyov D	16:38	0	0	0

21 points this season

Goalies: Arturs Silovs #37 (Projected) · Sergei Murashov #1 (Backup)

Colorado Avalanche

Last game: Oct 23

1st line

10:29 together at 5-on-5

#	Player	TOI	G	A	P
62	Artturi Lehkonen LW	18:56	9	4	13
29	Nathan MacKinnon C	18:10	7	13	20
88	Martin Nečas RW	16:32	6	8	14

47 points this season

92LandeskogLW

11NelsonC

91KadriRW

2nd line

8:03 together at 5-on-5

#	Player	TOI	G	A	P
92	Gabriel Landeskog LW	11:51	4	2	6
11	Brock Nelson C	18:22	3	5	8
91	Nazem Kadri RW	15:03	1	7	8

22 points this season

71SchwartzLW FS9SvechkovC

13HughesRW

3rd line

8:26 together at 5-on-5

#	Player	TOI	G	A	P
71	Jaden Schwartz LW	13:07	3	4	7
9	Fedor Svechkov C	11:48	2	4	6
13	T.J. Hughes RW	13:10	2	2	4

17 points this season

TM16MakarLW

17KellyC

25O'ConnorRW

4th line

6:49 together at 5-on-5

#	Player	TOI	G	A	P
16	Taylor Makar LW	8:11	–	–	–
17	Parker Kelly C	14:17	1	4	5
25	Logan O'Connor RW	14:47	0	0	0

27KulakD

70MalinskiD

1st pair

13:52 together at 5-on-5

#	Player	TOI	G	A	P
27	Brett Kulak D	21:06	0	4	4
70	Sam Malinski D	19:03	0	2	2

6 points this season

8MakarD

7ToewsD

2nd pair

10:39 together at 5-on-5

#	Player	TOI	G	A	P
8	Cale Makar D	21:07	3	8	11
7	Devon Toews D	17:41	3	5	8

19 points this season

42MansonD

84BurnsD

3rd pair

10:41 together at 5-on-5

#	Player	TOI	G	A	P
42	Josh Manson D	18:21	1	3	4
84	Brent Burns D	18:15	0	3	3

7 points this season

Power play unit 1

2:39 together on the power play

#	Player	TOI	G	A	P
29	Nathan MacKinnon F	18:10	7	13	20
91	Nazem Kadri F	15:03	1	7	8
13	T.J. Hughes F	13:10	2	2	4
71	Jaden Schwartz F	13:07	3	4	7
8	Cale Makar D	21:07	3	8	11

50 points this season

Power play unit 2

0:56 together on the power play

#	Player	TOI	G	A	P
62	Artturi Lehkonen F	18:56	9	4	13
11	Brock Nelson F	18:22	3	5	8
88	Martin Nečas F	16:32	6	8	14
92	Gabriel Landeskog F	11:51	4	2	6
8	Cale Makar D	21:07	3	8	11

52 points this season

Penalty kill unit 1

2:09 together on the penalty kill

#	Player	TOI	G	A	P
62	Artturi Lehkonen F	18:56	9	4	13
11	Brock Nelson F	18:22	3	5	8
42	Josh Manson D	18:21	1	3	4
84	Brent Burns D	18:15	0	3	3

28 points this season

Penalty kill unit 2

1:41 together on the penalty kill

#	Player	TOI	G	A	P
25	Logan O'Connor F	14:47	0	0	0
17	Parker Kelly F	14:17	1	4	5
8	Cale Makar D	21:07	3	8	11
7	Devon Toews D	17:41	3	5	8

24 points this season

Goalies: Mackenzie Blackwood #39 (Projected) · Scott Wedgewood #41 (Backup)

Swipe the rink to switch units

How we read the lines

From the NHL’s shift charts, the three forwards and the two defencemen who shared the most 5-on-5 ice time, ranked by time on ice. Coaches shuffle lines often, so treat them as a guide until puck drop. Power-play and penalty-kill units: the five (on the power play) or four (on the penalty kill) skaters who were on the ice together the longest in that situation. TOI: ice time in that game. G, A, P: goals, assists and points this season.

Photo credits (20)

Rutger McGroarty · Martin Rulsch , Wikimedia Commons, CC BY-SA 4.0
Sergei Murashov · Gri3720, CC BY-SA 4.0
Artturi Lehkonen · All-Pro Reels, CC BY-SA 2.0
Nathan MacKinnon · 5of7, CC BY-SA 2.0
Martin Nečas · OISV, CC BY-SA 4.0
Gabriel Landeskog · 5of7, CC BY-SA 2.0
Brock Nelson · Michael Miller, CC BY-SA 4.0
Nazem Kadri · Logan34can, CC BY-SA 4.0
Jaden Schwartz · Hugh Lee from Edmonton Alberta, Canada, CC BY-SA 2.0
T.J. Hughes · SecretName101, CC BY 4.0
Parker Kelly · Jenn G from Seattle, WA, CC BY-SA 2.0
Logan O'Connor · Tim Piper, CC BY 2.0
Brett Kulak · TheAHL, CC BY 2.0
Sam Malinski · Kenneth C. Zirkel, CC BY-SA 4.0
Cale Makar · Quintin Soloviev, CC BY-SA 4.0
Devon Toews · TheAHL, CC BY 2.0
Josh Manson · Jessica, CC BY-SA 2.0
Brent Burns · mark6mauno, CC BY-SA 2.0
Mackenzie Blackwood · TheAHL, CC BY 2.0
Scott Wedgewood · Lisa Gansky from New York, NY, USA, CC BY-SA 2.0

Goalie duel

Projected

Projected from recent starts · confirmed at puck drop

Arturs Silovs PIT

.885 save percentage

3.01 GAA · 4–3–0 · 2 shutouts · 7 starts

Mackenzie Blackwood COL

.893 save percentage

2.91 GAA · 5–3–0 · 8 starts

Teams do not name their goalie before the game. We expect the No. 1 unless his team played the night before, when the back-up usually starts; last season that call was right about two times in three. Our win chances do not depend on it.

Photo credits (1)