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).
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 league.
The team’s 285 goals are the most the team has scored since the 1996-97 campaign (285) despite still having one game 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.
FRANCHISE ICON
After tallying six assists in his last four games, Sidney Crosby enters this game only four assists away from becoming the all-time leader in assists with one team. He trails only Ray Bourque (1,111).
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 three players have a higher points-per-game average than his 1.09 this season.
SHAKING OFF THE RUST
Bryan Rust is one goal away from the second 30-goal season of his career. Since theSidney 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.
MANTHA’S CAREER YEAR
Forward Anthony Mantha has 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.
SILKY SWEDE
Erik Karlsson has 31 points (11G-20A) in the last 23 games. He leads all defensemen in the NHL in points in that span.
SUPER ROOKIE
Ben Kindel has 34 points (17G-17A) and 17 goals on the season, which ranks tied for seventh 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.
PENS SIGN LIVANAVAGE
On Friday, the Penguins signed college free agent defenseman Jake Livanavage to a two-year, entry-level contract. The contract will begin in the 2025-26 campaign and runs through the 2026-27 season. Livanavage will report to Pittsburgh.
The 21-year-old Livanavage spent the 2025-26 season playing collegiate hockey with the University of North Dakota, recording five goals, 20 assists, 25 points and was plus-15 in 39 regular-season games. His five goals and 25 points ranked second on the team among blueliners, and the alternate captain for North Dakota finished eighth overall on the club in scoring helping his team reach the Frozen Four semi-finals before falling to Wisconsin last night by a score of 2-1.
The 5-foot-11, 190-pound blueliner has spent the last three seasons at the University of North Dakota (2023-26), appearing in 117 games and notching 14 goals, 68 assists and 82 points. His 0.70 points-per-game average is tied for 17th in program history among defensemen. He has played each of the last two seasons with fellow Penguins prospect Mac Swanson (7th Round, 2024).
