Game Preview: 04.12.26 at Washington Capitals

The Pittsburgh Penguins will take to the road when they face the Washington Capitals at Capital One Arena. Puck drop is set for 3 PM ET.

This game will be available to watch on TNT and HBO Max. Fans can listen to the game on 105.9 The X and on the Penguins app.

Team Records: PIT (42-23-16), WSH (41-30-9)

Since the beginning of the 2015-16 campaign, no team has defeated Washington more than Pittsburgh (25 wins). Pittsburgh has points in eight of its last 13 games versus Washington (7-5-1) dating back to Nov. 9, 2022. The Penguins have points in six of their last seven visits to Capital One Arena (5-1-1).

Related Links

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• Musings: Penguins Come Up Short Without Star Players
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• Musings: Penguins Locker Room Reacts to Clinching Playoffs
• Penguins Flip the Script
• Penguins Clinch Playoff Berth for the First Time Since the 2021-22 Season
• Mantha Turns Setback Into Signature Season
• Earned, Not Given
• Penguins Announce Winners of Team Awards for 2025.26 Season
• Rakell on a Roll
• "You Can't Take This For Granted"

Game Notes

Quick Hits

1) Evgeni Malkin has 82 points (27G-55A) in 67 career games against the Capitals. It’s the third-most points he’s scored against any one team.

2) Defenseman Sam Girard has five points (5A) and is plus-7 in his last seven games. Only three players have a better plus/minus than him (+7) since Mar. 30.

3) Since March 22, no player in the league has more goals than Rickard Rakell (10).

4) Elmer Soderblom has seven points (3G-4A) over his last eight games. He has nine points (4G-5A) in 18 games with Pittsburgh after recording three points (2G-1A) over 39 games with Detroit this year.

5) Egor Chinakhov has 21 points (8G-14A) over his last 19 games and has picked up 36 points (18G-18A) in 42 games since joining the Penguins. Since his Penguins debut on Jan. 1, only Rickard Rakell (20) has more goals than him on the team.

FLIP THE SCRIPT

With their win in New Jersey on Thursday, the Penguins are officially back in the Stanley Cup playoffs for the first time since 2021-22. In the Sidney Crosby-Evgeni Malkin Era (2006-Present), no NHL team has more playoff victories than the Penguins’ 103 and no team has been to the Stanley Cup playoffs more than Pittsburgh.

In that time, the team has been to four Stanley Cup Finals and won three championships (2009, ‘16, ‘17).

CROSBY VS. OVECHKIN

The 2025-26 season marks the 21st season that generational talents Sidney Crosby and Alex Ovechkin face off. The two have taken part in 74 head-to-head matchups, where Crosby and the Penguins have gone 43-27-4 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 four players that are still active that also played in 2005-06 (also Corey Perry and Brent Burns). The 2025-26 season marks the 21st-consecutive season that Crosby and Ovechkin have played one another.

Only one forward-duo in NHL history has played against each other in more consecutive campaigns: Ron Francis and Mark Messier (23 seasons).

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 surpassed last season’s win total, and the team has seen massive year-over-year improvement in multiple categories.

Muse’s 41 wins are tied for the third-most in franchise history by a coach in their first year with the team.

FRANCHISE ICON

After tallying six assists in his last three games, Sidney Crosby enters tonight’s game only four assists away from becoming the all-time leader in assists with one team. He trails only Ray Bourque (1,111):

GOALS GALORE

The Penguins have been one of the NHL’s highest scoring teams this season as their 285 goals this year rank third in the NHL.

The team’s 285 goals are the most the team has scored since the 1996-97 campaign (285) despite still having two games remaining in the regular season.

Pittsburgh is on pace to have the highest scoring team in the Sidney Crosby Era (2005 Present) on a goals-per-game basis.

NO SLOWING DOWN

After his three-point performance on Saturday, Evgeni Malkin became just the seventh player in NHL history to average over a point per game at the age of 39 years old or older. Only two players have a higher points-per-game average than his 1.11 this season.

SHAKING OFF THE RUST

Bryan Rust enters today one goal away from the second 30-goal season of his career. Since the Sidney Crosby Era began (2005-present), Rust would be the only active member of the team not named Crosby or Evgeni Malkin, aS well as the only winger, to achieve the feat in multiple seasons.

He is also now one point shy of setting a new career high after tying his best total, which he set last season, on Thursday.

DIRTY THIRTY

Sidney Crosby comes into tonight’s game one goal 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 (20).

DOMINANT D-MEN

Defensemen Kris Letang and Erik Karlsson have been productive in their careers against the Capitals as they rank first and second, respectively, in points against Washington among active defensemen.

MANTHA'S CAREER YEAR

Forward Anthony Mantha enters tonight’s game with points in 12 of his last 17 games (11G-6A) and has set career highs across the board in goals (32), assists (30) and points (62). During the Sidney Crosby Era (2005-Present), only two players on Pittsburgh have scored more goals than Mantha in their first season with the team.