Game Notes
Pittsburgh has points in 11 of its last 16 games against New Jersey (8-6-2) dating back to Mar. 20, 2021.
Pittsburgh’s offense has been red hot over the past three games, averaging 5.33 goals per game. Since this stretch began on Mar. 14, no team in the NHL has scored more goals than the Penguins’ 16.
Bryan Rust has 28 points (16G-12A) and is plus-14 in 34 career games against the Devils. It’s the most points he’s picked up versus any one team, and five more than his next closest opponent (Philadelphia, 23 PTS in 32 GP).
Rust notched an assist on Sunday against Detroit, extending his point streak to three games (2G2A). Rust has five goals (5G-3A) over his last seven games, and nine goals (9G-4A) over his last 14 games. Since this stretch began on Feb. 6, Rust’s nine goals lead the Penguins and only Sidney Crosby (18) has more points than his 13.
Sidney Crosby tallied two points (1G-1A) against Detroit on Sunday, marking his team-leading 15th multi-point outing of the season.
Crosby (583) enters tonight’s game one goal shy of surpassing Wayne Gretzky (583) for sole possession of the seventh-most goals with a single franchise in NHL history.
Sidney Crosby enters tonight’s game two points shy of 70 points. He’s looking to become the first active player, and ninth player in NHL history to record 14 or more 70-point campaigns.
Crosby, who leads the Penguins with 68 points (33G-35A) in 67 games, is still producing at an elite rate in his 19th season. The 36-year-old Crosby has one of the highest points-per-game averages in NHL history from a player’s 35th birthday and on.
Sidney Crosby has made a habit of turning in solid performances against the Devils. In 83 career games versus New Jersey, Crosby has recorded 89 points (39G-50A), ranking first in scoring among all active players, while teammate Evgeni Malkin ranks third in points among active players. Only six players in NHL history have scored more goals against the Devils than Crosby’s 39. With one goal, Crosby can tie Mike Bossy (40) and Marcel Dionne (40) for the fifth-most goals against New Jersey in NHL history.
Ryan Graves has blocked 26 shots in nine games since March 1, which ranks third in the NHL in that span.
No Penguin has recorded more points than Lars Eller (2G-3A) over the team’s last three games since Mar. 14.
The Penguins own an overall record of 384-87-45 when both Sidney Crosby and Evgeni Malkin record a point in a game.
Evgeni Malkin enters tonight’s game one goal shy of hitting the 20-goal plateau. It would mark the 15th time in his career that Malkin has scored 20 or more goals in a season, and he’s looking to become just the 31st player in NHL history, and fourth active player, with 15 20-goal seasons.
Erik Karlsson and Kris Letang have found success against the New Jersey Devils in their careers. Among active defensemen, Karlsson’s 28 points (6G-22A) and Letang’s 27 points (3G-24) rank second and third against the Devils.
