Game Preview: 10.18.25 at San Jose Sharks 

The Penguins conclude their three-game road trip as they take on the San Jose Sharks at the SAP Center. Puck drop is set for 10 PM Eastern time.

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 (3-2-0), SJS (0-1-2)

Pittsburgh has wins in six of its last eight games versus San Jose, and are averaging 4.63 goals per game in those contests. The Penguins have wins in three of their last four visits to the SAP Center. Pittsburgh is 6-2-1 in its last nine games against Western Conference opponents

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QUICK HITS

Kris Letang enters the game three assists from becoming the 20th defenseman in NHL history to notch 600 assists, and is looking to join Erik Karlsson, Brent Burns and Victor Hedman as the only active blueliners to accomplish this feat. He would also become just the 10th defenseman in NHL history to record 600 or more assists with one team.

Parker Wotherspoon notched his first-career multi-point game (2A) on Thursday night against the Los Angeles Kings.

Erik Karlsson has 19 points (5G-14A) in 17 career games against his former team. He has points in 11 of his last 13 games versus San Jose (4G-13A).

Only three teams in the NHL have allowed fewer goals against in the third period than Pittsburgh (3) – the New York Islanders (2), Carolina Hurricanes (2) and Colorado Avalanche

Rickard Rakell has 32 points (16G-16A) in 38 career games versus the Sharks. His 16 goals are tied for 11th among all active players against San Jose.

OH SHEA CAN YOU SEE

Defenseman Ryan Shea notched another assist on Thursday night, giving him four points on the season (4A). Shea’s four assists are a new career high, and he is just one point shy of tying his career-best point total set last season (2G-3A). Last season, Shea didn’t notch his fourth point of the year until his 23rd game that he dressed in.

Shea leads the Penguins in plus/minus (+2), time-on-ice per game (21:40) and blocked shots (10). All four of his points this year have come on the road, and only Colorado’s Cale Makar has notched more points than Shea on the road among NHL defensemen.

FILLING THE NET

Filip Hallander notched his first-career NHL goal on Thursday in Los Angeles which doubled as the game-winning tally. Hallander, whose goal also came shorthanded, became the ninth player in Penguins history to score his first career goal shorthanded.

Overall, Pittsburgh has gotten three goals from their rookies through five games (one each from Hallander, Harrison Brunicke and Ben Kindel). Only the Montreal Canadians have more tallies from first-year player.

AGING LIKE A FINE WINE

Evgeni Malkin has been off to a hot start to kick off the 2025-26 campaign, having recorded points in four of the Penguins first five games. Malkin’s seven points (1G-6A) lead Pittsburgh and are tied for ninth in the NHL.

Malkin’s seven points through the Penguins first five games are the fourth-most points through a team’s first five games by a player age 39+ in NHL history.

POINT STREAKIN’

Sidney Crosby is riding an active eight-game point streak (3G-9A) against San Jose dating back to Jan. 2, 2022. Crosby’s point streak is tied for the fifth-longest active point streak against the Sharks among all active players.

IN RUST WE TRUST

Winger Bryan Rust has played some of the best hockey of his career against the San Jose Sharks. In 14 career games versus them, Rust has recorded eight goals, nine assists, 17 points and is plus-9. Rust’s 1.21 points-per-game average versus the Sharks is his second-highest average versus any one team.

Rust has 12 points (6G-6A) in his last seven games against the Sharks.

KARLSSON FACES FORMER TEAM

Tomorrow, Erik Karlsson faces the team that hosted his talents for five seasons from 2018-23. In 293 games with the Sharks, Karlsson recorded 243 points (52G-191A) and led all Sharks defensemen in goals, assists and points. During his tenure in San Jose, Karlsson ranked first in assists, sixth in goals and fourth in points.

Away Game Triggers