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The Penguins continue along their five-game homestand as they take on the San Jose Sharks at PPG Paints Arena. Puck drop is set for 3 PM. Doors open at 1:30 PM.

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

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

Team Records: PIT (14-8-7), SJS (15-14-3)

Pittsburgh has wins in seven of its last nine games versus San Jose, and are averaging 4.44 goals per game in those contests. The Penguins are 5-2-1 in their last eight home games against the Sharks dating back to Oct. 20, 2016. Pittsburgh has points in seven of its last nine games (4-2-3) overall.

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Game Notes

Quick Hits

Newly acquired goaltender Stuart Skinner is 6-1-0 with a 1.15 goals-against average, a .948 save percentage and three shutouts in seven career games against the San Jose Sharks.

The Penguins enter tomorrow's game ranked third in the NHL in power-play percentage (31.2%) and fourth in penalty kill success rate (84.7%).

Tommy Novak has 11 points (6G-5A) in eight career games against the San Jose Sharks.

Rickard Rakell has 33 points (16G-17A) in 39 career games versus the Sharks. His 16 goals are tied for 11th among all active players against San Jose.

Sidney Crosby’s 332 face-off wins rank fifth in the NHL.

PENS ACQUIRE SKINNER AND KULAK

On Friday, the Penguins acquired goaltender Stuart Skinner, defenseman Brett Kulak and the Edmonton Oilers 2029 second-round draft pick in exchange for goaltender Tristan Jarry and forward Sam Poulin.

Skinner, 27, has appeared in 23 games this season for the Oilers where he’s gone 11-8-4 with a 2.83 goals-against average and two shutouts. The 6-foot-4, 215-pound goaltender has spent his entire professional career with Edmonton, appearing in 197 career regular-season games going 109-62-18 with a 2.74 goals-against average, a .904 save percentage and nine shutouts. Skinner’s 109 regular-season wins rank fifth in Oilers franchise history while his nine shutouts are tied for fourth.

The native of Edmonton, Alberta also has 50 games of Stanley Cup Playoff experience, going 26-22 with a 2.88 goals-against average. Skinner most recently helped the Oilers reach back-to-back Stanley Cup Finals, and only eight active goaltenders have more postseason wins than his 26.

Kulak, 31, is a veteran of 611 NHL games split between Edmonton, Montreal and Calgary since 2014. The defenseman is coming off of a career year, where he tallied career highs across the board with seven goals, 18 assists and 25 points in 82 games in 2024-25. This season, he has recorded two assists through 31 games.

Throughout parts of 12 seasons in the league, the 6-foot-2, 192-pound defenseman has registered 28 goals, 99 assists and 127 points. Kulak has added three goals, 21 assists and 24 points through 98 career playoff games, including a combined 13 points (2G-11A) in 47 games over the past two years en route to back-to-back Stanley Cup Finals.

The acquisition of Edmonton’s 2029 second-round draft pick gives Pittsburgh eight selections in the 2029 NHL Draft – their original seven selections plus the Oiler’s second-round pick.

FRANCHISE ICON

Penguins Captain Sidney Crosby is riding a three-game point streak (3A) and has points in six of his last seven games (5G-4A). Crosby, who has notched 1,719 points (643G-1,076A) in his career, sits just four points shy of tying Mario Lemieux’s franchise record of 1,723 points.

When Crosby ties Lemieux, only two players in NHL history will have recorded more points with one franchise.

Crosby has five goals over his last seven games (5G-4A), and is tied for sixth in the NHL in goals.

RAKELL’S RETURN

Rickard Rakell was activated from Injured Reserve on Friday and is looking to make his return to the lineup on Saturday after missing the past 20 games with a hand injury. So far this season, Rakell has eight points (3G-5A) in nine games. At the time of his injury, he ranked tied for fourth on Pittsburgh in goals and points and ranked tied for third in assists.

100 GAMES FOR SHEA

Defenseman Ryan Shea is set to appear in his 100th NHL game. Shea is currently having a breakout campaign, already setting career highs in goals (2, tied), assists (9), points (11), plus/minus (+6), shots (25) and time on ice per game (19:50). Shea’s plus-6 ranks second on Pittsburgh.

NOVAK ATTACK

Tommy Novak notched an assist on Thursday night, extending his point streak to five games (3G-3A). Novak also has eight points (3G-5A) over his last seven games, and since this stretch began on Nov. 28, only Sidney Crosby has recorded more points than him on Pittsburgh. With a point today, Novak will have the second-longest point streak by a Penguin this season.

SHUTDOWN DEFENSE

The Penguins have allowed the fourth-fewest goals against in the NHL (80) and have held their opponents to two goals or less 12 times this season (8-0-4 when doing so).

POINT PRODUCIN’

Defenseman Kris Letang is one point shy of tying Hall-of-Famer Borje Salming for the 21st most points by a defenseman in NHL history.

POINT STREAKIN’

Sidney Crosby is riding an active nine-game point streak (4G-10A) 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 15 career games versus them, Rust has recorded eight goals, nine assists, 17 points and is plus-10. Rust’s 1.13 points-per-game average versus the Sharks is his second-highest average versus any one team.

KARLSSON FACES FORMER TEAM

Today, 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.

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