Quick Hits
1) The Penguins have points in eight of their last 10 home games (5-2-3) and are 9-3-3 in their last 15 home games dating back to Dec. 21.
2) Rickard Rakell has 19 points (10G-9A) in 24 games played against the Bruins, which includes four multi-point efforts.
3) Anthony Mantha has 14 points (8G-6A) in 21 career games against Boston. Mantha scored a hat-trick in a career-high five-point (3G-2A) game back on March 31, 2019. He also has a four-point (2G-2A) game against them as well on March 6, 2018.
4) No forward line (min. 250 minutes played together) has allowed fewer goals against at 5-on-5 player than Pittsburgh’s fourth line of Noel Acciari, Connor Dewar and Blake Lizotte (7GA).
5) On Friday, Evgeni Malkin was suspended five games by the NHL Department of Player Safety for slashing Buffalo Sabres defenseman Rasmus Dahlin during NHL Game No. 977 in Pittsburgh on Thursday, March 5.
ON A ROLL
The Penguins have been one of the NHL’s best teams since Christmas, having picked up points in 21 of their 26 games with a 16-5-5 record. They rank near the top of the league in multiple statistical categories
PENS ACQUIRE SODERBLOM
On Friday, the Penguins acquired forward Elmer Soderblom from the Detroit Red Wings in exchange for a 2026 third-round draft pick (originally belonging to San Jose). Soderblom is signed through the 2026-27 season, and his contract carries
an average annual value of $1.125 million.
The 6-foot-8, 252-pound forward has appeared in 39 games this season where he’s recorded two goals, one assist and three points. The 24-year-old has played parts of each of the last three seasons in the NHL, all with Detroit, where he’s
accumulated 22 points (11G-11A) in 86 career regular-season games.
Soderblom has skated in 119 career AHL games with the Grand Rapids Griffins, notching 23 goals, 31 assists and 54 points. He’s also appeared in 10 Calder Cup Playoff games over parts of two seasons.
TRUSTY RUSTY
Forward Bryan Rust enters today’s game riding an active five-game point streak (2G-4A) dating back to Feb. 28. His point streak is tied for the eighth-longest active point streak in the league.
40-POINT PLATEAU
Yesterday, Erik Karlsson notched his 40th point of the season (6G-34A). The Swedish native became the 10th defenseman in NHL history with 13 or more 40-point seasons.
SUPER ROOKIE
Ben Kindel notched an assist on Thursday against Buffalo, giving him five points over his last seven games (3G-2A) and goals in six of his last 12 games. Kindel is up to 15 goals on the season, which ranks fourth among NHL rookies. Four of his 15 goals have been game-winning tallies, and he’s one game-winning goal shy of the NHL single-season record for an 18-year-old.
SCORING SENSATION
Egor Chinakhov has made his presence felt early on in his time in Pittsburgh. He has 16 points (10G-6A) in 24 games, helping the Penguins go 14-5-5 with him in the lineup. Since he made his Penguins debut on January 1, no Penguin has more goals than him.
RAKELL 300
Rickard Rakell comes into tonight two assists shy of 300 assists in his career. He would become the 13th active player from the 2011 NHL Draft to reach the mark. The Swedish forward played parts of 10 seasons in Anaheim before being traded to Pittsburgh in 2021-22. Since then, he ranks sixth on Pittsburgh in points (207).
GIRARD 200
Newly acquired defenseman Sam Girard comes into tonight’s game two assists shy of 200 career assists. He would be the 12th player and the fifth defenseman from the 2016 NHL Draft to reach the mark.
LETANG 800
Kris Letang enters tonight’s game one point shy of 800 career points. He would be the 21st defenseman to reach the mark in NHL history and fourth active blueliner to do so.
Letang holds every major statistical record among defensemen in Penguins’ history which includes games played (1,217), goals (178), assists (621) and points (799). He would become the ninth defenseman in NHL history to reach the mark with one team.
BLUELINERS VS BOSTON
Defensemen Kris Letang and Erik Karlsson have both had success against Boston in their careers. Letang and Karlsson rank fourth and fifth, respectively, in points among active defensemen against the Bruins.
Letang is tied with Victor Hedman for the second-most assists (24) among all active defensemen against the Bruins (Morgan Reilly – 25).
