Game Preview: Penguins vs. Carolina Hurricanes (03.26.24)

Game Notes

Pittsburgh has points in four-consecutive home games against Carolina (2-0- 2). Going back further, the Penguins are 8-4-2 at home against the Hurricanes dating back to Jan. 17, 2016.

Eight of the last 10 games between Pittsburgh and Carolina have been one-sided games.

The Penguins have achieved eight goals and 23 points of production from their rookies this season. It’s the most that they’ve gotten from a class of rookies since the 2019.20 campaign (14 goals and 42 points).

Alex Nedeljkovic was drafted by Carolina and spent the first five seasons of his professional career with the Hurricanes. He is 4-2-0 with a 2.14 goals-against average and a .932 save percentage in six career games against his former team.

Evgeni Malkin is averaging nearly a point per game against the Hurricanes, recording 42 points (14G-28A) in 49 games.

The Penguins own an overall record of 384-87-45 when both Sidney Crosby and Evgeni Malkin record a point in a game.

Sidney Crosby found the back of the net on Sunday in Colorado, and surpassed Wayne Gretzky (583) for sole possession of the seventh-most goals with a single franchise in NHL history.

Crosby was a force in Colorado on Sunday, notching a season-high (tied) four points (1G-3A). It was the 463rd multi-point game of Crosby’s career, which ranks 10th in NHL history. All four of Crosby’s points on Sunday came at even strength, helping him surpass Phil Esposito (1,006) for the eighth-most even-strength points in NHL history.

Crosby is the first active player, and 20th player in NHL history, to record 40 games with four-plus points.

Sidney Crosby and Kris Letang both assisted on PO Joseph’s goal on Sunday afternoon. It marked the 305th time that Crosby and Letang have combined on a goal, which is one such effort shy of tying Phil Esposito and Bobby Orr for the second-most goals combined on by a forward-defenseman duo in NHL history.

Crosby enters tonight’s game one assist shy of 40 in the year. He’s looking to become the first active player, and 14th player in NHL history to record 15 or more 40-assist campaigns.

Sidney Crosby has 64 points (23G-41A) in 58 career games against the Carolina Hurricanes. Crosby’s 64 points versus the Hurricanes are the second most among active players, and his 1.10 points-per-game average against them is fifth best (min. 15 GP).

Crosby has points in eight of his last 10 games against Carolina (8G-4A) and has 17 points (9G-8A) in his last 17 games against them. Only Alex Ovechkin (9), Steven Stamkos (7), and Adam Henrique (6) have more game-winning goals against the Hurricanes than Crosby (5) among active players.

Since debuting with the Penguins on March 9, Michael Bunting is tied for second on Pittsburgh with three goals and six points in nine games.

Pittsburgh’s offense has been consistently producing over the past six games, averaging 4.00 goals per 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.

Bryan Rust has six goals (6G-3A) over his last nine games, and 10 goals (10G-4A) over his last 17 games. Since this stretch began on Feb. 6, Rust’s 10 goals lead the Penguins and only Sidney Crosby (23) has more points than his 15.