Game Preview: Pittsburgh Penguins @ Carolina Hurricanes 3/18/2026
Who: Pittsburgh Penguins (34-18-15, 83 factors, 2nd place Metropolitan Division) @ Carolina Hurricanes (42-19-6, 90 factors, 1st place Metropolitan Division)
When: 7 pm ET
How to Watch: Locally broadcast on Sportsnet Pittsburgh and FanDuel Sports Network South, streaming on ESPN+
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Pens’ Path Ahead: The Penguins are coming again to Pittsburgh for a three-game homestand, beginning with a weekend back-to-back (Saturday towards the Winnipeg Jets, Sunday towards the Hurricanes, once more) adopted by a Tuesday rematch with the Avalanche (once more).
Opponent Track: The Hurricanes had received 4 of their final six video games earlier than dropping a 5-1 resolution to the Columbus Blue Jackets on Tuesday evening.
season collection: The Pens and Canes have cut up this season collection to date, with the Pens taking a 5-1 win at residence on Dec. 30 earlier than their 5-4 shootout loss again final week in Raleigh. This season wraps up with a rematch in 4 days in Pittsburgh.
Hidden Stat: The Penguins lead the NHL in targets from gamers who had been new to the crew this season with 81. The subsequent closest is the Anaheim Ducks with 63.
Getting to know the Hurricanes
Projected traces
FORWARDS
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Andrei Svechnikov – Sebastian Aho – Seth Jarvis
Taylor Hall – Logan Stankoven – Jackson Blake
Nikloaj Ehlers – Jordan Staal – Jordan Martinook
William Carrier – Mark Jankowski – Nicolas Deslauriers
DEFENSE
Jacob Slavin / Jalen Chatfield
K’Andre Miller/Sean Walker
Mike Reilly / Alexander Nikishin
Goalies: Brandon Bussi / Frederik Andersen
Potential scratches: Shayne Gostisbehere (decrease physique damage), Eric Robinson, Jesperi Kotkaniemi
Injured Reserve: Pyotr Kochetkov
Brandon Bussi began final evening towards the Blue Jackets (he had 25 saves within the 5-1 loss), so it appears doubtless the Pens might be dealing with Frederik Andersen tonight.
Andersen is driving a three-game win streak, most lately making 17 stops within the Canes’ 4-2 win over the Tampa Bay Lightning on Saturday. He has an 8-6-0 file in 16 profession matchups towards the Penguins, with a .919 save share, 2.53 GAA and two shutouts.
Trade acquisition Nicolas Deslauriers made his Hurricanes debut on Tuesday evening towards the Blue Jackets. He led the Canes with six hits and recorded a battle within the loss.
Shayne Gostisbehere suffered a lower-body damage on March 6 and has but to return to the Canes’ lineup.
Season stats
by way of hockeydb (doesn’t embrace final evening’s sport)
Andrei Svechnikov, who recorded the shootout winner final week towards the Pens, has additionally scored in two straight video games heading into Wednesday. He’s six targets shy of a brand new profession goalscoring excessive.
The Canes took just a few early penalties and conceded a pair of power-play targets early in Tuesday evening’s matchup with the Blue Jackets and had been by no means capable of get well from that early deficit. Head coach Rod Brind’Amour said After the sport the Canes wanted to do “everything” totally different towards the Penguins.
And now for the Pens
Projected traces
FORWARDS
Anthony Mantha – Rickard Rakell – Bryan Rust
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Egor Chinakhov – Tommy Novak – Evgeni Malkin
Ville Koivunen – Ben Kindel – Justin Brazeau
Elmer Soderblom – Connor Dewar – Noel Acciari
DEFENSE
Parker Wotherspoon / Erik Karlsson
Ryan Shea / Kris Letang
Ilya Solovyov / Connor Clifton
Goalies: Arturs Silovs and Stuart Skinner
Potential Scratches: Sam Girard, Ryan Graves, Kevin Hayes, Jack St. Ivany
GO: Sidney Crosby, Filip Hallander, Blake Lizotte
A number of dangerous items of stories for the Penguins on Tuesday. First, that Blake Lizotte will miss the remainder of the common season:
Second piece of dangerous information: the out-of—city scoreboard. The Columbus Blue Jackets received, the New York Islanders received, and the Boston Bruins went to time beyond regulation with the Montreal Canadiens.
Sidney Crosby traveled with the crew on this journey, so there’s nonetheless some hope he might get again within the lineup for the final sport of the highway swing tonight. Keep an eye fixed out for who he is taking line rushes with right now in Raleigh.
