Game Notes
Pittsburgh has won five of its last six games against Tampa Bay (5-1-0). Going back further, the Penguins have wins in six of their last eight games against the Lightning (6-2-0) and have points in seven of their last nine against them (6-2-1).
Tristan Jarry sits one win shy of his fifth-consecutive 20-win season. Jarry’s four 20-win campaigns are tied for third in franchise history behind Marc-Andre Fleury (9) and Tom Barrasso (6).
Jeff Carter has 19 goals and 33 points (19G-14A) in 43 career games versus the Lightning. Only four active players have more goals against the Lightning than him.
Carter enters tonight’s game one goal shy of the 10-goal plateau. His next goal would mark the 19th season he’s reached double digit goals, a feat that only 25 players in NHL history have accomplished. Only Alex Ovechkin (19) has more 10-goal seasons among active players.
Michael Bunting is one assist shy of hitting the 30-assist plateau for the second time in his career (2021.22, 40), and is two assists shy of 100 in his career.
The Penguins own an overall record of 386-87-46 when both Sidney Crosby and Evgeni Malkin record a point in a game.
Alex Nedeljkovic enters tonight’s game with points in each of his last seven games (5-0-2). He is one game shy of tying the longest point streak of his career, set from Apr. 8-May 3, 2021 (7-0-1). Since this stretch began, he’s recorded a 2.31 goals-against average, .923 save percentage, and no goaltender has more wins than his five.
Erik Karlsson (9G-39A) is tied with teammate Kris Letang (8G-40A) for the team lead in points by a defenseman. He’s currently two points shy of cracking the 50-point plateau for the eighth time in his career, and is looking to become just the sixth defenseman on Pittsburgh in the last 20 years to notch 50 or more points in a season (Letang, 6x; Sergei Gonchar, 4x; Justin Schultz, 1x; Dick Tarnstrom, 1x; Ryan Whitney, 1x). Karlsson’s 48 points are the sixth most in franchise history by a defenseman in their first season with the team.
Karlsson is also two points shy of tying Gonchar for the 18th-most points by a defenseman in NHL history.
Pittsburgh enters tonight’s game as one of the hottest teams in the NHL, picking up points in seven-straight games (5-0-2), which is the team’s longest point streak since Nov. 29-Dec. 15, 2022 (8 GP; 7-0-1). Since this stretch began on Mar. 24, no team has accumulated more points than Pittsburgh’s 12.
Sidney Crosby has been the driving force behind Pittsburgh’s surge, as he enters tonight’s game with points in six of the seven games (6G-9A). Crosby’s 15 points (6G-9A) since Mar. 24 ranks first in the NHL.
Crosby has points in 10 of his last 12 games overall, accumulating 20 points total (7G-13A) in that span.
Crosby enters tonight’s game three assists shy of 1,000 in his career. Crosby is looking to become just the 14th player in NHL history to reach 1,000 assists, and is looking to become the seventh-fastest player to 1,000 assists. Crosby would also be just the seventh skater all time to reach this milestone with one team.
Sidney Crosby enters tonight’s game one goal shy of cracking the 40-goal plateau for the third time in his career. Crosby’s goal total is currently tied for the third-highest of his career.
Crosby is looking to join Alex Ovechkin (2), Brendan Shanahan (1), Teemu Selanne (1), Gordie Howe (1), Phil Esposito (1), and Johnny Bucyk (1) as the only players 36 or older in NHL history to notch a 40-goal season.
Kris Letang has 41 points (5G-36A) in 46 career games versus Tampa Bay. He has more points against the Lightning than any other non-Metropolitan Division team. Letang and teammate Erik Karlsson are third and fourth in NHL history for points by a defenseman against the Lightning, respectively.
Rickard Rakell is one goal shy of reaching 200 in his career (199). The Anaheim Ducks selected Rakell with the 30th pick in the first round of the 2011 NHL Draft. Among members of the 2011 NHL Draft class, Rakell ranks 10th with 198 goals. The Sundbyberg, Sweden native ranks eighth among active players from his native country in goals.
Reilly Smith enters today’s game two assists away from hitting 300 in his career. The Dallas Stars originally selected Smith in the third round (69th overall) of the 2009 NHL Draft. Among all players selected in 2009, Smith has the 11th most assists. Smith has had four seasons where he recorded 30 or more assists.
Pittsburgh’s offense has been consistently producing over the past 12 games, averaging 4.08 goals per game. Since this stretch began on Mar. 14, no team in the NHL has scored more goals than the Penguins’ 49.
Sidney Crosby and Evgeni Malkin have both found success in their careers against the Lightning. Crosby (48GP, 23G-41A) and Malkin (46GP, 27G-34A) rank second and fourth in the NHL in scoring against Tampa Bay among all active players.
Only Alex Ovechkin (50) has more goals against the Lightning than Malkin (27) and Crosby (23) among active players. Crosby is also on a seven-game point streak (4G-7A) against Tampa Bay, which is tied for the second-longest such streak in the NHL.
