Game Preview: 03.31.26 vs. Detroit Red Wings
QUICK HITS
Tonight, the Penguins conclude their 14th set of back-to-back video games. Thus far, the workforce is 11-8-8 in back-to-backs (6-4-4 on the primary evening and 5-4-4 on the second evening).
Rickard Rakell has factors in 12 of his final 13 video games (8W-9A) and is at present on a four-game level streak (5W-2A).
Defenseman Parker Wotherspoon has factors in back-to-back video games (3A) and has 9 factors (9A) over his final 9 video games.
Rickard Rakell has 22 factors (8G-14A) in 26 video games in opposition to the Red Wings.
Justin Brazeau established a brand new single-game profession excessive with three assists final evening in opposition to the Islanders. It marked the third time in his profession he is notched three factors in a sport. This yr, Brazeau has set profession highs throughout the board in targets (16), assists (17), factors (33) and game-winning targets (4).
FRANCHISE ICON
Captain Sidney Crosby notched two assists in his return to the lineup final evening, giving him factors in 5 of his final six video games performed (1G-6A). Crosby enters tonight’s sport two factors shy of tying Steve Yzerman for the seventh-most factors in NHL historical past and second-most factors with one franchise all-time.
POINT MACHINE
Sidney Crosby leads the Penguins with 66 factors (28G-38A) in 62 video games. Crosby, who can play in a most of 70 video games this season, is 4 factors shy of guaranteeing he’ll common a degree per sport or higher for an NHL-record twenty first season.
DIRTY THIRTY
Sidney Crosby comes into tonight’s sport two targets shy of reaching the 30-goal mark for the 14th time in his profession and the fifth-consecutive season. Only six gamers in NHL historical past have extra 30-goal seasons than him at present and solely Alex Ovechkin has extra amongst lively gamers (19).
MANTHA’S CAREER YEAR
Forward Anthony Mantha enters tonight’s sport with factors in eight of his final 11 video games (8W-4A) and has set profession highs throughout the board in targets (29), assists (28) and factors (57). During the Sidney Crosby Era (2005-Present), solely the captain and Evgeni Malkin have scored extra targets than Mantha of their first season with Pittsburgh.
SILKY SWEDE
Erik Karlsson has 25 factors (9W-16A) within the final 17 video games. He leads all defensemen within the NHL in factors in that span. Karlsson is tied for third within the NHL in power-play factors (9) throughout that stretch.
MARCH MADNESS
Erik Karlsson has been one of many NHL’s hottest gamers within the month of March, choosing up 24 factors (9G-15A) in simply 16 video games.
Since March 1, solely Nikita Kucherov (26) has picked up extra factors than Karlsson, and his 24 factors are essentially the most by a Penguins blueliner in a calendar month since Paul Coffey’s franchise file of 28 factors in February 1990.
Karlsson is simply the fourth Penguins defenseman in franchise historical past to file 20 or extra factors in a month.
Karlsson’s 9 multi-point video games in March is essentially the most by a Penguins defenseman in a single month in workforce historical past.
BLUELINE BLITZ
Erik Karlsson has 38 factors (9G-29A) in 36 video games, and Kris Letang has 32 factors (9G-23A) in 37 profession contests versus Detroit. Their objective totals are tied for first amongst lively defensemen versus the Red Wings, respectively.
Karlsson’s 1.06 points-per-game common ranks second amongst all lively defensemen in opposition to Detroit, whereas Letang’s 0.86 points-per-game common is tenth greatest amongst league blueliners (min. 10 GP).
MALK-A-MANIA
Evgeni Malkin has been traditionally profitable in opposition to the Detroit Red Wings. In 33 profession video games in opposition to them, he has recorded 45 factors (18G-27A), and has factors in 15 of his final 20 video games (11G-17A) versus Detroit. His 1.36 points-per-game common in opposition to them is second within the NHL amongst lively gamers and is seventh in NHL historical past (min 25 GP).
BURNING RUBBER
Sidney Crosby has 53 factors (20G-33A) in 40 profession video games in opposition to the Detroit Red Wings. He has a number of factors in 10 of his final 17 outings in opposition to them (10G-17A). Crosby’s lively nine-game level streak in opposition to the Red Wings (6G-12A) is the second-longest lively such streak within the NHL.
RUST 500
Forward Bryan Rust enters tonight’s sport with factors in 15 of his final 17 video games (8G-13A) and is simply two factors shy of turning into the eleventh participant in franchise historical past to succeed in 500 factors.
Rust can also be seeking to turn into simply the twenty second lively American-born participant to build up 500 factors.
MALKIN 1,400
Forward Evgeni Malkin enters tonight’s sport two factors shy of 1,400 in his profession. Malkin is seeking to be part of Sidney Crosby (1,753) and Mario Lemieux (1,723) as the one gamers in franchise historical past to notch 1,400 factors with the workforce, and he would additionally turn into simply the twenty third participant in NHL historical past to perform this feat.
Malkin would additionally turn into simply the second Russian-born participant in NHL historical past to build up 1,400 factors together with Washington’s Alex Ovechkin.
SUPER ROOKIE
Ben Kindel enters tonight’s sport with 34 factors (17G-17A) and 17 targets on the season, which ranks tied for fourth amongst NHL rookies. Four of his 17 targets have been game-winning tallies, and he is one game-winning objective shy of the NHL single-season file for an 18-year-old.
