Nashville Predators vs Pittsburgh Penguins - NHL Prediction & Betting Tips - AI Analysis & Odds (Nov 21, 2026)

Nashville Predators

23:00

Sat, Nov 21 2026

Pittsburgh Penguins

NHL·Bridgestone Arena

Team Statistics

Predatorsper gamePenguins

0-3 · 2 pts2-2 · 4 pts

Win Rate

50%

-7

Goal Diff

-2

2.3

Avg Goals For

2.8

4.0

Avg Goals Against

3.3

4 GPTotal Goals: 9 · 114 GP

Eastern Conference

#	Team	GP	W	L	OTL	PTS	GF	GA	Form
1	Carolina Hurricanes	15	10	2	2	24	56	36	-
2	Boston Bruins	15	8	4	1	21	55	36	-
3	Montreal Canadiens	14	6	3	2	20	48	42	-
4	Ottawa Senators	15	7	5	1	19	49	45	-
5	Tampa Bay Lightning	13	7	3	2	18	48	43	-
6	New Jersey Devils	14	7	5	0	18	48	40	-
7	Florida Panthers	14	6	4	2	18	44	39	-
8	Toronto Maple Leafs	16	7	6	2	18	60	53	-
9	Buffalo Sabres	14	5	4	3	17	43	49	-
10	Washington Capitals	12	7	4	0	16	43	37	-
11	New York Islanders	14	5	5	2	16	40	39	-
12	New York Rangers	14	7	6	1	15	44	42	-
13	Detroit Red Wings	14	4	5	3	15	41	43	-
14	Pittsburgh Penguins	14	2	7	2	12	47	49	-
15	Columbus Blue Jackets	12	1	7	0	10	29	39	-
16	Philadelphia Flyers	15	3	8	4	10	29	51	-

Western Conference

#	Team	GP	W	L	OTL	PTS	GF	GA	Form
1	Edmonton Oilers	14	8	2	2	22	60	43	-
2	Minnesota Wild	15	9	3	3	21	47	35	-
3	Vegas Golden Knights	15	7	5	1	19	53	44	-
4	Utah Mammoth	14	7	5	0	18	51	46	-
5	Colorado Avalanche	14	8	5	1	17	59	44	-
6	Dallas Stars	14	5	5	1	17	38	31	-
7	Seattle Kraken	14	6	5	1	17	52	52	-
8	St. Louis Blues	14	7	6	1	15	44	42	-
9	Nashville Predators	14	4	4	5	15	42	47	-
10	San Jose Sharks	15	2	7	1	15	41	52	-
11	Calgary Flames	14	6	8	0	12	36	52	-
12	Anaheim Ducks	13	4	7	1	11	43	50	-
13	Winnipeg Jets	14	4	7	3	11	34	47	-
14	Los Angeles Kings	13	2	7	2	10	36	45	-
15	Chicago Blackhawks	14	3	9	1	9	31	53	-
16	Vancouver Canucks	16	1	12	1	7	47	72	-

Standings & Recent Form

The Nashville Predators enter this matchup struggling out of the gate with a 0-3-0 record and just 2 points, placing them 8th in the standings. They've conceded 16 goals in 4 games, averaging 4.0 goals against per outing, which raises concerns about their defensive reliability. Conversely, the Pittsburgh Penguins hold a more solid position at 5th with a 2-2-0 record and 4 points, having scored 11 goals but allowed 13, indicating a somewhat leaky defense but a better offensive balance than Nashville.

Goals For & Against Analysis

Nashville's offense has managed only 9 goals over 4 games, which is just 2.25 goals per game—below the league average for a competitive attack. Their defensive woes are more glaring, with 16 goals against suggesting structural issues in their zone coverage and goaltending. Pittsburgh's 11 goals in 4 games (2.75 per game) demonstrate a modestly more effective offense, though their 13 goals against show they are not without defensive vulnerabilities either.

Head-to-Head Dynamics

Over the last 10 encounters, Pittsburgh has dominated with 7 wins to Nashville's 3, including recent decisive victories like 5-3 and 4-1 scorelines. However, the Predators did secure a 5-1 win in that span, indicating they can capitalize on home ice advantage. The Penguins' ability to consistently outscore Nashville highlights a tactical edge, especially in exploiting defensive lapses that Nashville has struggled to plug.

Defensive Structure Insights

Nashville's 16 goals conceded in just 4 games is a red flag pointing to defensive breakdowns and potentially unstable goaltending. Their defensive zone execution needs urgent tightening to withstand Pittsburgh’s more balanced attack. Meanwhile, Pittsburgh's 13 goals against reflect some susceptibility, but their defensive units have shown better cohesion, which could be the difference in a close contest.

Prediction Summary

Given the data, Pittsburgh is positioned to capitalize on Nashville's defensive struggles and underwhelming start. The Penguins’ 2-2-0 record and 5th place standing reflect a more stable form compared to Nashville’s 0-3-0 and 8th position. Our analysis and AI models suggest betting on Pittsburgh to win, possibly by a margin of one or two goals, with an over/under leaning towards a moderately high-scoring game due to defensive weaknesses on both sides. Nashville’s home ice might temper the margin but is unlikely to offset the Penguins’ momentum and historical dominance in this matchup.

Martin Anderson

Human analyst

Professional betting analyst with 10+ years of experience in sports data analytics and statistics. Featured on The Athletic, 433, and ESPN. Currently maintaining a 70% win rate this season across NHL, SHL, and Liiga markets. See the public track record.

Frequently Asked Questions

What's your prediction for this game?

The Pittsburgh Penguins are favored in the Nashville Predators vs Pittsburgh Penguins matchup based on current form and head-to-head stats. Pittsburgh has a better record (2W-2L) than Nashville (0W-3L) and holds more points (4 vs 2), placing them higher in the standings (#5 vs #8). Additionally, the Penguins have scored 11 goals and conceded 13, a better goal differential than Nashville's 9 for and 16 against. Historically, Pittsburgh dominates with 7 wins in the last 10 meetings, which supports a prediction favoring the Penguins to win again.

Which team has better recent form?

The Nashville Predators have struggled this season with a 0-3-0 record and only 2 points, ranking 8th. In contrast, the Pittsburgh Penguins show more balance at 2-2-0 and 4 points, placing 5th in the league. Nashville's defense has conceded 16 goals in 4 games, while Pittsburgh has allowed 13 over the same span. This difference in form and points clearly shows Pittsburgh as the stronger team so far.

What are the best betting opportunities?

For the Nashville Predators vs Pittsburgh Penguins game, betting markets focusing on total goals are promising. Both teams have relatively high goals against (16 for Nashville, 13 for Pittsburgh) and combined goals for in recent games suggests potential for over 5 goals. The H2H matches also show some high-scoring affairs, including recent 5-3 and 5-1 results. Considering these factors, the over on total goals market and both teams to score bets are attractive options.

How do these teams match up historically?

The head-to-head record between Nashville Predators and Pittsburgh Penguins heavily favors Pittsburgh, who have won 7 of the last 10 meetings. Nashville has managed 3 wins at home in that span. Recent results include competitive scores like 5-3 and close 3-4 losses, but Pittsburgh also secured dominant wins such as 5-1 and 4-1. This history highlights Pittsburgh's consistent edge over Nashville in recent encounters.

What are the key line matchups?

Key matchups in the Nashville Predators vs Pittsburgh Penguins game will revolve around Nashville's struggling defense, which has conceded an average of 4 goals per game, versus Pittsburgh's offense that averages nearly 3 goals per game. Pittsburgh’s balanced form and scoring ability contrast with Nashville’s difficulties, as seen in their 0-3 start and 16 goals conceded. The Penguins’ ability to capitalize offensively against Nashville’s leaky defense will be a critical factor in this matchup.

Should I bet on the favorite or underdog?

Betting value in the Nashville Predators vs Pittsburgh Penguins game lies in the puck line and total goals markets. Given Nashville’s 3 losses and 16 goals allowed in 4 games, laying a small puck line advantage with Pittsburgh could be worthwhile. Additionally, the high combined goals from both teams and their history of high-scoring games suggest value in betting the over on total goals. These markets offer balanced risk with data-backed potential returns.