Penguins Schedule: NHL Announces Times, Pens Get 6 Afternoon Games in April

The NHL released the schedule a few weeks ago, but absent were start times for the games, including the Pittsburgh Penguins. Fans who love the afternoon tilts, despite most players despising them, will get six afternoon home games on the Penguins 2021-22 schedule.

And a point of happiness for journalists and early-to-bed folks who like to leave in the third period, the Pittsburgh Penguins do not have any 8 p.m. starts at home.

In fact, the Penguins have only a few games, excluding the west coast and central time zone games, which are not 7 p.m. starts. The season’s first game, as the Lightning raise their Stanley Cup banner will get a later jump. That game is scheduled to be a 7:30 p.m. puck drop–though we know how those go.

The Penguins have 7:30 p.m. puck drops at the New York Islanders on Nov. 26, Dec. 29 at the Toronto Maple Leafs, at home vs. St. Louis on Jan. 5, March 10 at the Islanders, and March 23 at the Buffalo Sabres.

Pittsburgh Penguins Afternoon Games:

Is 6 p.m. an afternoon game or early evening? The games in bold are home games.

The Penguins’ first-afternoon game is on New Years Eve in Ottawa. As Josh Yohe of the Athletic and I were chased out of the media workroom in Detroit at 11 p.m on Dec. 31, 2015, perhaps an afternoon game is best. The Penguins will play back-to-back afternoon games and three in eight days as they host the San Jose Sharks on Jan 2. and visit Dallas on Jan. 8.

Dec 31: 1 p.m. Penguins at Ottawa

Jan. 2: 1 p.m. Penguins vs. San Jose

Jan. 8: 2 p.m. Penguins at Dallas

The Pittsburgh Penguins will also have back-to-back Sunday afternoon games when they host the Winnipeg Jets and LA Kings at the end of January.

Jan. 23: 1 p.m. Penguins vs. Winnipeg Jets

Jan. 30: 1 p.m. Penguins vs. LA Kings

The Olympic break will shelve some of the Penguins for three weeks in February. Sidney Crosby and Evgeni Malkin are expected to play on Team Canada and Team Russia, respectively, in Beijing. Bryan Rust and Jake Guentzel figure to be Team USA favorites, too.

The Penguins will play back-to-back early games late in February.

Feb. 26: 3 p.m. Penguins vs. New York Rangers

Feb. 27: 6 p.m. Penguins at Carolina

The Penguins have another 6 p.m. against the Carolina Hurricanes on March 13 and SIX afternoon games in April, including four straight Saturdays.

March 13: 6 p.m. Penguins vs. Carolina

March 27: 5 p.m. Penguins vs. Detroit

April 2: 3 p.m. Penguins at Colorado

April 9: 3 p.m. Penguins vs. Washington

April 10: 4 p.m. Penguins vs. Nashville

April 16: 12:30 p.m. Penguins at Boston

April 23: 12:30 p.m. Penguins at Detroit

April 24: 4 p.m. Penguins at Philadelphia