Game Preview: 03.21.26 vs. Winnipeg Jets

The Pittsburgh Penguins return home to kick off a three-game home stand against the Winnipeg Jets at PPG Paints Arena. Puck drop is set for 1 PM. Doors will open at 11:30 AM.

The first 7,500 guests in attendance will receive a Kris Letang Big Three Legacy Bobblehead courtesy of F.N.B. – early arrival is strongly encouraged.

This game will be available to watch on SportsNet Pittsburgh. Fans can listen to the game on 105.9 The X and on the Penguins app.

Team Records: PIT (34-18-16), WPG (28-29-11)

The Penguins are 17-8-0 in their last 25 meetings with the Jets. The Penguins have scored three or more goals in six of their last 10 games against the Jets overall. Here at PPG Paints Arena, Pittsburgh is 20-3-0 in their last 23 matchups against Winnipeg dating back to Mar. 24, 2007.

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Game Notes 

Quick Hits

Kris Letang (6G-24A) is tied with Alex Pietrangelo (6G-24A) for the second-most points against the Jets among active defensemen behind Roman Josi (8G-30A).

Egor Chinakhov (14G-14A-28PTS) sits two goals and one point shy of tying his respective career highs (16G and 29 PTS) set in the 2023-24 season. His assist on Monday in Colorado helped him establish a new career best. 

With his three points (2G-1A) on Wednesday, Erik Karlsson now has 52 points (9G-43A) and became the fifth player on Pittsburgh to record 50 or more points (Sidney Crosby - 61; Bryan Rust - 54; Anthony Mantha - 53; Evgeni Malkin - 51), tying the League lead with Vegas and Montreal.

With his goal on Monday night, Noel Acciari has now scored three goals in his last five games and has four points (3G-1A) total. 

Bryan Rust enters Friday’s game riding a five-game point streak (5G-3A) and has points in 10 of his last 11 games played (7G-7A) dating back to Feb. 28.

RUST 700

Penguins forward Bryan Rust is looking to play in his 700th career game Saturday, and would become just the ninth player to appear in 700 games with Pittsburgh. Rust joins teammates Sidney Crosby, Evgeni Malkin and Kris Letang, as well as franchise icon Mario Lemieux, as the only Penguins to play in 700 games or more with only Pittsburgh.

Rust, a seven-time 20-goal scorer, is one of just five active American-born players to record seven-straight 20-goal seasons since 2019-20 after reaching the mark earlier this season.

STREAKIN' SWEDE

Rickard Rakell tallied an assist on Wednesday against Carolina to extend his point streak to seven games (2G-7A). It is his longest point streak of the season and ranks second in the NHL.

This current streak is also now the longest point streak in Rakell’s career.

A-MUSE-ING

Head Coach Dan Muse has the Penguins playing some of the most consistent hockey in the league in his first season in the NHL. Under Muse’s guidance, the Penguins have already matched last season's win total through 68 games, and the team has seen massive year-over-year improvement in multiple categories.

The Penguins have utilized 38 skaters and four goaltenders this season. On Monday, Elmer Soderblom notched his first goal as a Penguin, giving the team a league-leading 28 unique goal scorers.

SWEDE ASSISTS

Erik Karlsson tallied two goals and an assist on Wednesday against Carolina and now has nine assists in the last six games overall. With his next assist, he will surpass Daniel Alfredsson for fifth most all-time by a Swedish-born player.

MANTHA'S CAREER YEAR

Forward Anthony Mantha continued his hot streak on Wednesday, tallying an assist to extend his point streak to six games (5G-3A). In doing so, he now has career highs across the board in goals (26), assists (27) and points (53). Mantha ranks tied for fourth in the NHL in goals (5) since point streak began on Mar. 8.

During the Sidney Crosby Era (2005-Present), only four players on Pittsburgh have scored more goals than Mantha in their first season with the team.

SILKY SWEDE

Erik Karlsson tallied a goal and two assists on Wednesday against the Hurricanes and now has 17 points (5G-12A) in the last 11 games. He ranks second in the NHL in points in that span.

In that span, Karlsson is tied for first in the NHL in power-play points (7).

DIRTY THIRTY

Sidney Crosby comes into Saturday's game two goals shy of reaching the 30-goal mark for the 14th time in his career and the fifth-consecutive season. Only six players in NHL history have more 30-goal seasons than him currently and only Alex Ovechkin has more among active players (19).

MULTI-POINT MAYHEM

Sidney Crosby has eight multi-point efforts in his last 19 games and is now one such instance shy of surpassing both Mark Messier and Marcel Dionne for third most multi-point games in NHL history after his two-point (1G-1A) performance on Wednesday in Carolina.

SUPER ROOKIE

Ben Kindel enters Saturday's game with 12 points (9G-3A) over his last 18 games. Kindel is up to 17 goals on the season, which ranks fourth among NHL rookies. Four of his 17 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.

LETANG 800

Kris Letang enters tomorrow'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 (1,223), goals (178), assists (621) and points (799). He would become the ninth defenseman in NHL history to reach the mark with one team.

GIRARD 200

Newly acquired defenseman Sam Girard comes into tomorrow's game two assists shy of 200 career assists. He would be the 13th player and the fifth defenseman from the 2016 NHL Draft to reach the mark.

NO FLY ZONE

Evgeni Malkin and Sidney Crosby are statistically two of the most productive players in NHL history on a point-per-game basis against the Winnipeg Jets.

Three of Malkin’s eight five-point performances in his career have come against the Jets/Thrashers franchise.