Clash at PPG Paints Arena: Pittsburgh Penguins Face Off Against Columbus Blue Jackets

As the Pittsburgh Penguins prepare to host the Columbus Blue Jackets at PPG Paints Arena, fans are eager to see if their team can continue their recent performance trends. The Penguins have shown a strong offensive presence in their past few games, with a notable victory over the St. Louis Blues where they scored six goals and demonstrated solid goaltending with a save percentage of 93 percent.

The team's ability to capitalize on powerplays was evident against the Blues, scoring two goals during man-advantages. However, maintaining discipline will be crucial as they gave away nine penalties across the last three games. Despite this, their penalty kill has been effective, not allowing any powerplay goals against them in two out of three recent matches.

Faceoffs have been fairly even for the Penguins, winning approximately half of them in each game. This aspect could play a pivotal role against Columbus as it can dictate possession and control of the game.

Defensively, while there have been lapses leading to losses such as against Carolina Hurricanes where they lost by one goal in overtime despite a high save percentage (92 percent), overall goaltending remains strong which should give fans confidence heading into this matchup.

The venue itself may offer an advantage; PPG Paints Arena has witnessed energetic crowds that often spur on home performances – something that could prove influential when facing off against an opponent like Columbus.

Penguins enthusiasts should mark their calendars for December 7th when these two teams collide at PPG Paints Arena in Pittsburgh. The match is scheduled for midnight UTC and can be watched on various networks including ESPN+ online or SportsNet PT channel 659 for local TV viewers.