The Pittsburgh Penguins are set to face off against the Philadelphia Flyers at PPG Paints Arena. The game will be broadcast on ESPN+ and Hulu, with radio coverage available on 105.9 The X. The Penguins have had a strong record against the Flyers recently, securing points in eight of their last ten encounters (6-2-2) and maintaining a nine-game home point streak against them (7-0-2).
Fans attending the game will receive a Max Talbot bobblehead, courtesy of EQT, with distribution limited to the first 7,500 guests.
In lineup news, forward Michael Bunting is out following an appendectomy. Head coach Mike Sullivan stated that Bunting’s return timeline is uncertain. Forward Boko Imama has resumed skating after recovering from an injury sustained before the 4 Nations Face-Off break and reports feeling fully fit. Alex Nedeljkovic will be starting as goaltender for tonight’s match.
Evgeni Malkin is looking to surpass NHL legends Alex Delvecchio and Anze Kopitar in career assists with one franchise. Rickard Rakell aims to reach 500 career NHL points soon, potentially becoming the third Swedish player from his draft class to achieve this milestone.
Bryan Rust has been effective against Philadelphia throughout his career, accumulating 25 points in 34 games against them. Kris Letang leads all defensemen in points scored against the Flyers since entering the league in 2006-07.
The Penguins have demonstrated strong defensive play recently by allowing only two power-play goals over their last seven games. When both Sidney Crosby and Evgeni Malkin score in a game, Pittsburgh boasts an impressive record of 399 wins.
