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Pittsburgh Penguins Set to Clash with New Jersey Devils in a Battle of Wits and Pucks

As the Pittsburgh Penguins prepare to face off against the New Jersey Devils at the Prudential Center, fans are eager to see how their team will rebound after a recent string of performances. The upcoming game, scheduled for March 19th, is set to be a crucial one for the Penguins who have shown fluctuating trends in their recent matchups.


Nov 16, 2023; Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, USA; Pittsburgh Penguins left wing Jake Guentzel (59) and New Jersey Devils right wing Nathan Bastian (14) battle for the puck during the second period at PPG Paints Arena. Mandatory Credit: Philip G. Pavely-USA TODAY Sports

Analyzing past games data reveals that the Penguins have had a mixed bag of results. In their last game against the Washington Capitals, they suffered a heavy defeat with no goals scored despite taking 39 shots on goal. This shutout loss highlighted some areas of concern, particularly in powerplay situations where they failed to capitalize on four opportunities.


However, looking back at another recent game against the Columbus Blue Jackets paints a different picture. The Penguins emerged victorious with five points scored from 31 shots and showed significant strength during powerplays by scoring twice out of three chances.


Nov 16, 2023; Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, USA; Pittsburgh Penguins right wing Bryan Rust (17) scores on New Jersey Devils goalie Vitek Vance (41) during the first period at PPG Paints Arena. Mandatory Credit: Philip G. Pavely-USA TODAY Sports

The contrasting outcomes indicate that while there's potential for high-scoring games from Pittsburgh, consistency has been an issue. One key aspect that could influence their performance is faceoff win percentage which was notably higher during their win (57 percent) compared to their loss (48 percent).


The venue may also play its part; playing away at Prudential Center poses its own challenges and it will be interesting to see how this affects Pittsburgh's gameplay. Will they manage puck possession more effectively? Can they improve upon their powerplay execution?


Nov 16, 2023; Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, USA; Pittsburgh Penguins goalie Tristan Jarry (35) stops New Jersey Devils center Michael McLeod (20) during the second period at PPG Paints Arena. Mandatory Credit: Philip G. Pavely-USA TODAY Sports

Fans can expect an intense matchup as both teams vie for dominance on ice. With strategic adjustments and sharpened focus on special teams play, the Pittsburgh Penguins aim to turn around recent misfortunes and skate towards victory.


Catch all the action live on ESPN+ or tune into MSGSN or SportsNet PT as these two teams collide in Newark at Prudential Center on March 19th at 23:00 UTC.

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