The Pittsburgh Penguins close out the 2024-25 season as they host the Washington Capitals at PPG Paints Arena. Puck drop is set for 7 PM. Doors open at 5:30 PM.
This game will be available to watch on ESPN. Fans can listen to the game on 105.9 the X and on the Penguins app.
Team Records: PIT (33-36-12), WSH (51-21-9)
Since the beginning of the 2015-16 campaign, no team has defeated Washington more than Pittsburgh (23 wins). The Penguins are 4-2-1 in their last seven games and 9-5-2 in their last 16 games overall.
Tonight is Fan Appreciation Night, presented by PPG
Check out tonight’s lineup of activities to celebrate the best fans in hockey!
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Game Notes
The 2024-25 season marks the 20th season that generational talents Sidney Crosby and Alex Ovechkin face off. The two have taken part in 72 head-to-head matchups, where Crosby and the Penguins have gone 41-27-4 against Ovechkin and the Capitals.
Not only is the Crosby/Ovechkin rivalry one of the NHL’s best, but it’s also the league’s longest-standing rivalry. Crosby and Ovechkin are the only two players in the NHL to play for the same team since the beginning of the 2005-06 season, and are two of just five players that are still active that also played in 2005-06 (also Corey Perry, Brent Burns and Ryan Suter).
The 2024-25 season marks the 20th consecutive season that Crosby and Ovechkin have played one another. Only four forward-duos have played against each other in more consecutive campaigns: Ron Francis and Mark Messier (23 seasons), Alex Delvecchio and Doug Mohns (21 seasons), Dean Prentice and Ron Stewart (21 seasons) and Delvecchio and Stewart (21 seasons).
The two have combined to win four Stanley Cups, five Hart trophies (regular-season MVP) three Art Ross trophies (most points), 11 Rocket Richard trophies (most goals), three Conn Smythe awards (playoff MVP) and six Ted Lindsay awards (most outstanding player) among other awards.
Defenseman Erik Karlsson has been productive throughout his career against the Capitals as he ranks second in points (32) against Washington among active defensemen.
With his two-point performance (1G-1A) on Friday night against the Devils, Sidney Crosby is now one point away from recording the ninth 90-point season of his career. If he reaches his mark, he will become the 10th player in NHL history with nine or more such seasons. Only Mario Lemieux has more 90-point seasons in Penguins history than Crosby.
Crosby is statistically having one of the best seasons in NHL history by a player in their age 37 season or older as his 89 points are the sixth most in a single season in league history.
Rickard Rakell has been a goal scoring machine this year as his 35 goals lead Pittsburgh. With his goal Sunday against the Bruins, he set a new career-high goal total.
Rakell is having one of the best seasons by a winger in the Sidney Crosby Era (2005-Present), as only two players in that span not named Crosby or Evgeni Malkin have had more goals in a single season.
With his goal on Sunday against Boston, Rakell is currently one point shy of surpassing his single-season career-high point total of 69 set in 2017-18 with Anaheim. If he reaches the 70-point mark, he will become just the sixth Penguins player, and fourth winger, during the Sidney Crosby Era (2005-Present) to accomplish this feat:
The Penguins power play connected again on Sunday against the Bruins as Rickard Rakell tallied his ninth power-play goal of the season. The power-play unit has caught fire over the last month and a half, and since the beginning of March, the team ranks fourth in power-play percentage (30.0).
The Penguins now have power-play goals in seven-consecutive games (8 PPG in 19 PPO), the longest streak since they went 10-straight games with a power-play goal from Dec. 1-22, 2022.
Rakell’s power-play tally on Sunday was his ninth of the season, trailing only Sidney Crosby for the team lead.
Penguins rookie Ville Koivunen has excelled in the NHL since being recalled from the Wilkes-Barre/Scranton Penguins. Since making his NHL debut on Mar. 30, the forward has five assists in seven games for the Penguins.
Koivunen recorded an assist on the Penguins’ lone goal on Sunday against the Bruins, stretching his point streak to four games. His active four-game point streak is the 12th longest by a rookie this season and is tied for the longest active point streak among rookies.
Koivunen is looking for the first point streak of five or more games by a Penguins rookie since John Marino achieved a six-game point streak from Nov. 16-27, 2019 (1G-6A).
Goaltender Tristan Jarry has points in five of his last six starts (4-1-1) and has been exceptional in net over the last month, registering two shutouts in his last five starts. Since his return from the Wilkes-Barre/Scranton Penguins on Mar. 9, he ranks sixth in wins (8) among goaltenders.
Defenseman Matt Grzelcyk enjoyed a successful first year with the Penguins. The Charlestown, MA native is one of two Penguins (Erik Karlsson) to suit up for every game this season and has set career highs in games played (81), assists (37), points (38), power-play points (15), blocked shots (99) and time on ice per game (20:35). Grzelcyk’s 38 points this season are 12 more than his previous career high with Boston in 2022-23.
Grzelcyk’s 37 assists and 99 blocked shots both rank third on Pittsburgh this season.
Quick Hits
1) On Tuesday, the Penguins recalled defenseman Filip Kral from the Wilkes-Barre/Scranton Penguins. The blueliner has set career highs in goals (7), assists (22) and points (29) in his fourth AHL season and first with Wilkes-Barre. Kral is looking to make his Penguins debut tonight.
2) It was announced today that Penguins rookie Ville Koivunen has been named to the AHL All-Rookie Team for the 2024-25 season. Through just 62 games in the AHL, Koivunen ranks third among all rookies with 55 points (21G-34A). His 55 points in the regular season are the fifth most by a rookie in WBS history.
3) Evgeni Malkin has 81 points (27G-54A) in 65 career games against the Capitals. It’s the third-most points he’s scored against any one team.
4) For the sixth-consecutive season, Sidney Crosby has been voted the “Most Complete Player,” earning 33.81% of the 630 votes in the NHLPA Player Poll.
5) It was announced yesterday by President of Hockey Operations and General Manager Kyle Dubas that Kris Letang underwent successful surgery: closure of a patent foramen ovale (PFO; small hole in heart). The expected recovery time is four to six weeks.
Meet the Penguins!
As part of the Penguins Pledge, and in partnership with the National Aviary, Aviary experts and some of their live penguin ambassadors will visit PPG Paints Arena for today’s game. A permanent display on the FedEx Level of PPG Paints Arena will be home to the visiting penguins and also feature footage of the National Aviary’s Penguin Point habitat for the games when the birds aren’t at the arena. The National Aviary is a global leader in the conservation efforts to save endangered African Penguins from extinction. More info can be found here.
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