Pittsburgh Penguins: Ice Gladiators Ready to Conquer the Blues at PPG Paints Arena

As the Pittsburgh Penguins prepare to host the St. Louis Blues at PPG Paints Arena, fans are buzzing with anticipation for what promises to be a thrilling encounter on New Year's Eve. The Penguins, coming off an electrifying performance against the New York Islanders on December 28th, where they dominated with a 7-0 victory, are looking to carry that momentum into their upcoming game.

The sheer dominance displayed by the Penguins in their last outing cannot be overstated. With an impressive shooting percentage of 22 percent and a total of 32 shots on goal, they left no doubt about their offensive prowess. Their goaltending was equally formidable; not a single puck found its way past their netminder out of the 22 shots faced. This kind of all-around performance is exactly what fans have come to expect from this team.

However, it would be remiss not to acknowledge that just four days prior, on December 24th against the Ottawa Senators, things didn't go as smoothly for PIT. Despite putting up a valiant effort and securing four goals from 34 shots with a shooting percentage of 12 percent, they fell short in overtime with a scoreline reading 4-5 in favor of Ottawa.

The key takeaway from these past games is consistency – something that will be crucial when facing STL. The Blues will undoubtedly pose a challenge; however, if Pittsburgh can maintain their level of play as seen against New York rather than Ottawa, victory is well within reach.

Special teams could play a significant role in this matchup. While PIT's powerplay didn't convert against New York Islanders despite three opportunities – something they'll look to improve upon – it's worth noting that during even-strength play across these two games combined (excluding shootouts), PIT scored ten goals while conceding only five.

Looking ahead at STL's recent form provides further optimism for Pittsburgh supporters. The Blues have had moments of vulnerability this season that can be exploited by an offense as potent as Pittsburgh’s.

In conclusion, if recent performances are anything to go by – particularly the dismantling of New York Islanders – then fans should feel confident heading into this clash against St. Louis Blues at PPG Paints Arena on December 31st at midnight UTC (7 PM Eastern Time). For those unable or unwilling to brave the cold winter night in person can catch all the action live nationally via ESPN+ or locally through SportsNet PT channel number 659 and BSMW channel number 671 for away team coverage.