Game Notes
Pittsburgh has points in four-straight games against Washington (3-0-1). A point tonight would give the Penguins their first five-game point streak against them since Jan. 22, 2012-Mar. 11, 2014 (8-0-0).
Since the beginning of the 2015.16 campaign, no team has defeated Washington more than Pittsburgh (21 wins).
Sidney Crosby (88 points) is three points shy of tying Mark Messier (91 points) for the seventh-most points versus Washington in NHL history.
Jake Guentzel has recorded 28 points (11G-17A) versus the Capitals with two game-winning goals in 24 games. He has points in seven-straight games against Washington (3G-8A) dating back to Nov. 13, 2021.
Bryan Rust has 20 points (12G-8A) in 31 career games versus the Capitals, which includes six goals over his last eight games against Washington.
Jansen Harkins has points in back-to-back games (2A). A point tonight would give him the first three-game point streak of his career.
No Penguin has more goals than Lars Eller (3) over the team’s last four games.
The 2022.23 season marks the 19th season that generational talents Sidney Crosby and Alex Ovechkin face off. The two have taken part in 66 head-to-head matchups, where Crosby and the Penguins have gone 39-23-4 against Ovechkin and the Capitals. Below are their stats when facing each other in the regular season:
Crosby (66 GP, 30G-58A--88 Pts.)
Ovechkin (66 GP, 34G-29A--63 Pts.)
Not only is the Crosby/Ovechkin rivalry one of the NHL’s best, but it’s also the league’s longest-standing rivalry. Crosby and Ovechkin are the only two players in the NHL to play for the same team since the beginning of the 2005.06 season. The two have combined to win four Stanley Cups, five Hart trophies (regular-season MVP) three Art Ross trophies (most points), 11 Rocket Richard trophies (most goals), three Conn Smythe awards (playoff MVP) and six Ted Lindsay awards (most outstanding player) among other awards.
Crosby has consistently produced points throughout his career against the Capitals. Despite not playing in the same division as Washington until 2013.14, Crosby ranks first in points versus the Capitals among all active players.
Tonight, forward Reilly Smith is set to appear in his 800th NHL game. Smith has notched 208 goals, 285 assists, 493 points and is plus-126 over parts of 13 seasons. The 2023 Stanley Cup Champion has notched 10 or more goals in 10 consecutive seasons (entering the 2023.24 campaign), and has hit the 20-goal plateau five times and hit the 50-point plateau six times.
The Penguins have been one of the league’s most defensively conscious teams this season. Pittsburgh’s 92 goals against are tied for fourth fewest in the NHL, and the team’s .915 save percentage is second in the league.
Bryan Rust appears to be nearing a return to the lineup. Rust, who has missed the last 10 games, has notched 10 goals, 10 assists, and 20 points in 22 games this season. Despite missing 13 games total this year, Rust’s 10 goals rank fourth on the Penguins, and his 0.91 points-per-game average is on pace to be the third highest of his career.
