Penguins

Penguins Game 43, McDavid Awaits; Lines, Notes & How to Watch vs. Oilers

Published

2 weeks ago

January 9, 2025

Pittsburgh Penguins Game vs. Edmonton Oilers

The Pittsburgh Penguins (17-17-8) have taken a left turn and are headed sideways following the NHL holiday break. The team has earned points in three straight games but won none and they have just one win in seven games (1-3-3). The loser points are keeping the Penguins in the playoff race, but a few wins are needed.

On Thursday, the Penguins and Sidney Crosby will face the league’s other all-time great, Connor McDavid, and the Edmonton Oilers (25-12-3) at PPG Paints Arena. The puck drops just after 7 p.m.

The Penguins squandered a late two-goal lead against the Columbus Blue Jackets Tuesday. The game was a lethargic slog but the Penguins broke the game open in the third, but then mistakes submarined their momentum and Columbus won in a shootout.

Rickard Rakell had a pair of goals to reach the 20-goal mark at the halfway point. The Penguins winger’s resurgent season has him on pace for his first 40-goal season. Sidney Crosby also became the NHL’s all-time winningest faceoff man. Goalie Tristan Jarry absorbed the loss.

The Penguins penalty kill has struggled since the holiday break, too.

Edmonton shut out the Boston Bruins 4-0 on Tuesday. Adam Henrique had a pair of goals. Connor McDavid and Viktor Arvidsson scored the others as Stuart Skinner stopped all 26 shots.

Penguins coach Mike Sullivan will name the starting goalie at 10:30 a.m.

Penguins injury update: Evgeni Malkin will be a game-time decision.

Alex Nedeljkovic will start in goal.

Penguins Lines

Rickard Rakell-Sidney Crosby-Bryan Rust

Michael Bunting-Cody Glass-Anthony Beauvilleilr

Drew O’Connor-Kevin Hayes-Jesse Puljujarvi

Matt Nieto-Blake Lizotte-Noel Acciari

Defense

Marcus Pettersson-Kris Letang

Matt Grzelcyk-Erik Karlsson

Owen Pickering-P.O Joseph

Goalies: Tristan Jarry, Alex Nedeljkovic

Oilers Lines

Ryan Nugent-Hopkins- Connor McDavid-Connor Brown

Vasily Podkolzin-Leon Draisait-Viktor Arvidsson

Jeff Skinner-Adam Henrique-Zach Hyman

Kasperi Kapanen-Mattias Janmark-Corey Perry

Defense:

Mattias Ekholm-Evan Bouchard

Darnell Nurse-Josh Brown

Brett Kulak-Ty Emberson

Goalie: Stuart Skinner

Special Teams

Penguins power play: 26.2%, 5th. Penguins penalty kill: 80.3%, 14th.

Oilers Power Play: 23.8%, 10th. Oilers Penalty Kill: 77.4%, 23rd.

Penguins Game Notes

The Penguins are looking to snap a seven-game losing streak against the Oilers. Their last win against Edmonton came on Dec. 20, 2019.

Sidney Crosby enters tonight’s game three assists from tying Marcel Dionne (1,040) for the 11th-most assists in NHL history. He is just one goal shy of tying Hall-of-Famer Bobby Hull (604) for the sixth-most goals with one franchise in NHL history.

Crosby is also three points shy of tying Hall-of-Famer Joe Sakic for the fifth-most points with one franchise in NHL history (1641).

Matt Grzelcyk is one assist shy of tying his career high of assists (22) set in 75 games with Boston in 22-23.

Erik Karlsson enters tonight’s game with 11 points (2-9-11) over his last 10 games. Going back further, Karlsson has recorded 18 points (2-16-18) in 19 games.