The Pittsburgh Penguins will host the Carolina Hurricanes at PPG Paints Arena on December 30, with the game scheduled to start at 7 PM. The matchup can be viewed on SportsNet Pittsburgh and heard on 105.9 The X as well as the Penguins app.
Heading into this contest, the Penguins hold a record of 16-12-9, while the Hurricanes are at 24-11-3. Pittsburgh has earned points in four of its last six games against Carolina and five of its last six home games versus the Hurricanes. However, they aim to break a three-game losing streak against Carolina in what will be their final game of the calendar year.
Kris Letang is close to reaching a milestone, being one point away from his 18th season with at least 20 points—a mark achieved by only 14 other defensemen in NHL history. The team currently ranks third in power-play percentage across the league at 29.7%. Nine out of the last fourteen meetings between these teams have been decided by just one goal.
Blake Lizotte has collected six points in nine career games against Carolina, making it his second-best average against any opponent. Brett Kulak is also approaching a career milestone with one assist needed for his 100th; he would become the 21st defenseman from his draft class to reach that figure.
Ryan Shea recently recorded his first three-assist game as a Penguin, joining seven others who have done so for Pittsburgh over the past decade. Justin Brazeau scored his first career hat trick in Chicago, becoming only the fourth undrafted player to achieve this for Pittsburgh in thirty years.
Connor Clifton is set to play his 400th regular-season NHL game, having split time among Pittsburgh, Boston Bruins and Buffalo Sabres since being drafted in 2013.
Erik Karlsson has contributed consistently through December and is poised to surpass Brad Park for fourteenth-most points by an NHL defenseman if he records another point during this stretch.
Sidney Crosby enters tied for eighth place in league goals after scoring twenty or more goals for an eighteenth season—eight coming via power play opportunities this year. At home, Bryan Rust has maintained a five-game point streak and Erik Karlsson’s six-game home point streak matches the longest active run league-wide.
Crosby also holds strong statistics against Carolina: “Penguins Captain Sidney Crosby has 67 points (24G-43A) in 62 career games against Carolina. Crosby’s 67 points versus the Hurricanes are the second most among active players, and his 1.08 points-per-game average against them is the sixth best (min. 20 GP). Crosby has points in nine of his last fourteen games against Carolina (9G-6A) and has twenty points (10G-10A) in his last twenty-one games versus them. Only Alex Ovechkin (9), Steven Stamkos (7), John Tavares (6) and Adam Henrique (6) have more game-winning goals against the Hurricanes than Crosby (5) among active players.”
Two Penguins prospects—Harrison Brunicke representing Team Canada and Will Horcoff playing for Team USA—were selected for their national junior teams competing at the upcoming IIHF World Junior Championship.
The Pittsburgh Penguins, established as an NHL franchise in 1967, are based in downtown Pittsburgh where they play home games at PPG Paints Arena. The organization is recognized both locally and internationally through consistent competition including multiple Stanley Cup championships and playoff appearances while maintaining deep ties within city sports culture and fan engagement efforts.
