Recreation Preview: 04.17.25 vs. Washington Capitals – NHL.com

The Pittsburgh Penguins shut out the 2024-25 season as they host the Washington Capitals at PPG Paints Enviornment. Puck drop is ready for 7 PM. Doorways open at 5:30 PM.
This game will be available to watch on ESPN. Followers can take heed to the sport on 105.9 the X and on the Penguins app.
Workforce Data: PIT (33-36-12), WSH (51-21-9)
Because the starting of the 2015-16 marketing campaign, no workforce has defeated Washington greater than Pittsburgh (23 wins). The Penguins are 4-2-1 of their final seven video games and 9-5-2 of their final 16 video games general.
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Recreation Notes
The 2024-25 season marks the twentieth season that generational abilities Sidney Crosby and Alex Ovechkin face off. The 2 have taken half in 72 head-to-head matchups, the place Crosby and the Penguins have gone 41-27-4 in opposition to Ovechkin and the Capitals.
Not solely is the Crosby/Ovechkin rivalry one of many NHL’s greatest, nevertheless it’s additionally the league’s longest-standing rivalry. Crosby and Ovechkin are the one two gamers within the NHL to play for a similar workforce for the reason that starting of the 2005-06 season, and are two of simply 5 gamers which can be nonetheless lively that additionally performed in 2005-06 (additionally Corey Perry, Brent Burns and Ryan Suter).
The 2024-25 season marks the twentieth consecutive season that Crosby and Ovechkin have performed each other. Solely 4 forward-duos have performed in opposition to one another in additional consecutive campaigns: Ron Francis and Mark Messier (23 seasons), Alex Delvecchio and Doug Mohns (21 seasons), Dean Prentice and Ron Stewart (21 seasons) and Delvecchio and Stewart (21 seasons).
The 2 have mixed to win 4 Stanley Cups, 5 Hart trophies (regular-season MVP) three Artwork Ross trophies (most factors), 11 Rocket Richard trophies (most targets), three Conn Smythe awards (playoff MVP) and 6 Ted Lindsay awards (most excellent participant) amongst different awards.
Defenseman Erik Karlsson has been productive all through his profession in opposition to the Capitals as he ranks second in factors (32) in opposition to Washington amongst lively defensemen.
Together with his two-point efficiency (1G-1A) on Friday evening in opposition to the Devils, Sidney Crosby is now one level away from recording the ninth 90-point season of his profession. If he reaches his mark, he’ll turn into the tenth participant in NHL historical past with 9 or extra such seasons. Solely Mario Lemieux has extra 90-point seasons in Penguins historical past than Crosby.
Crosby is statistically having the most effective seasons in NHL historical past by a participant of their age 37 season or older as his 89 factors are the sixth most in a single season in league historical past.
Rickard Rakell has been a aim scoring machine this 12 months as his 35 targets lead Pittsburgh. Together with his aim Sunday in opposition to the Bruins, he set a brand new career-high aim complete.
Rakell is having the most effective seasons by a winger within the Sidney Crosby Period (2005-Current), as solely two gamers in that span not named Crosby or Evgeni Malkin have had extra targets in a single season.
Together with his aim on Sunday in opposition to Boston, Rakell is presently one level shy of surpassing his single-season career-high level complete of 69 set in 2017-18 with Anaheim. If he reaches the 70-point mark, he’ll turn into simply the sixth Penguins participant, and fourth winger, throughout the Sidney Crosby Period (2005-Current) to perform this feat:
The Penguins energy play related once more on Sunday in opposition to the Bruins as Rickard Rakell tallied his ninth power-play aim of the season. The ability-play unit has caught hearth over the past month and a half, and for the reason that starting of March, the workforce ranks fourth in power-play share (30.0).
The Penguins now have power-play targets in seven-consecutive video games (8 PPG in 19 PPO), the longest streak since they went 10-straight video games with a power-play aim from Dec. 1-22, 2022.
Rakell’s power-play tally on Sunday was his ninth of the season, trailing solely Sidney Crosby for the workforce lead.
Penguins rookie Ville Koivunen has excelled within the NHL since being recalled from the Wilkes-Barre/Scranton Penguins. Since making his NHL debut on Mar. 30, the ahead has 5 assists in seven video games for the Penguins.
Koivunen recorded an help on the Penguins’ lone aim on Sunday in opposition to the Bruins, stretching his level streak to 4 video games. His lively four-game level streak is the twelfth longest by a rookie this season and is tied for the longest lively level streak amongst rookies.
Koivunen is on the lookout for the primary level streak of 5 or extra video games by a Penguins rookie since John Marino achieved a six-game level streak from Nov. 16-27, 2019 (1G-6A).
Goaltender Tristan Jarry has factors in 5 of his final six begins (4-1-1) and has been distinctive in internet over the past month, registering two shutouts in his final 5 begins. Since his return from the Wilkes-Barre/Scranton Penguins on Mar. 9, he ranks sixth in wins (8) amongst goaltenders.
Defenseman Matt Grzelcyk loved a profitable first 12 months with the Penguins. The Charlestown, MA native is one in all two Penguins (Erik Karlsson) to go well with up for each recreation this season and has set profession highs in video games performed (81), assists (37), factors (38), power-play factors (15), blocked photographs (99) and time on ice per recreation (20:35). Grzelcyk’s 38 factors this season are 12 greater than his earlier profession excessive with Boston in 2022-23.
Grzelcyk’s 37 assists and 99 blocked photographs each rank third on Pittsburgh this season.
Fast Hits
1) On Tuesday, the Penguins recalled defenseman Filip Kral from the Wilkes-Barre/Scranton Penguins. The blueliner has set profession highs in targets (7), assists (22) and factors (29) in his fourth AHL season and first with Wilkes-Barre. Kral is seeking to make his Penguins debut tonight.
2) It was introduced right this moment that Penguins rookie Ville Koivunen has been named to the AHL All-Rookie Workforce for the 2024-25 season. By way of simply 62 video games within the AHL, Koivunen ranks third amongst all rookies with 55 factors (21G-34A). His 55 factors within the common season are the fifth most by a rookie in WBS historical past.
3) Evgeni Malkin has 81 factors (27G-54A) in 65 profession video games in opposition to the Capitals. It’s the third-most factors he’s scored in opposition to anybody workforce.
4) For the sixth-consecutive season, Sidney Crosby has been voted the “Most Full Participant,” incomes 33.81% of the 630 votes within the NHLPA Participant Ballot.
5) It was introduced yesterday by President of Hockey Operations and Basic Supervisor Kyle Dubas that Kris Letang underwent profitable surgical procedure: closure of a patent foramen ovale (PFO; small gap in coronary heart). The anticipated restoration time is 4 to 6 weeks.
Meet the Penguins!
As a part of the Penguins Pledge, and in partnership with the Nationwide Aviary, Aviary specialists and a few of their dwell penguin ambassadors will go to PPG Paints Enviornment for right this moment’s recreation. A everlasting show on the FedEx Stage of PPG Paints Enviornment shall be house to the visiting penguins and likewise function footage of the Nationwide Aviary’s Penguin Level habitat for the video games when the birds aren’t on the enviornment. The Nationwide Aviary is a worldwide chief within the conservation efforts to save lots of endangered African Penguins from extinction. More info can be found here.
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