The Penguins' complete 2018-19 regular-season schedule will be released on Thursday afternoon. NHL Network will be highlighting key elements of the schedule and some team-by-team information between 5 and 5:30 PM on NHL Tonight: 2018-19 Schedule Release. The Penguins' complete schedule will be released at 5:30 PM.
In May, the Penguins wrapped up their 2017-18 season by falling to the Capitals in overtime of Game 6 of their Second Round series on May 7 at PPG Paints Arena. That loss ended the Penguins' two-year run as Stanley Cup champions.
Over the last three years, the Penguins and Capitals have been the top-two teams in the NHL. During that span, in addition to combining to win the past three Stanley Cups, the clubs have won more games and scored more goals than any other NHL team.
The two teams have met in the Second Round in all three years, with the Pens eliminating the Caps in 2016 and '17. Of the 19 playoff games they have squared off in, 11 have been one-goal games. Pittsburgh holds a slim 10-9 overall advantage in playoff wins.
This will be the fifth time that the Penguins have played their home opener against the Capitals. The Pens have won each of the first four, including a 3-2 shootout win to begin the 2016-17 campaign.
Last season the Penguins owned the NHL's second-best home record at 30-9-2. It was the second-straight year that Pittsburgh has won 30-plus home games, the first time the Pens have accomplished that feat in club history.
The Penguins have gone 7-3-3 in 13 home openers since Sidney Crosby joined the team in 2005. Pittsburgh has an all-time record of 26-14-10 in home openers, and a 23-20-7 mark in season openers.
Last week, the Penguins announced their
2018-19 preseason schedule
.
