GAME PREVIEW
The Penguins return home to PPG Paints Arena to host the Los Angeles Kings in the first of two matchups this season. Doors to the arena will open at 6:00 PM. The Penguins come into tonight 2-0-0 at home this season and 2-0-1 overall. Pittsburgh has won seven of its last 11 home matchups with Los Angeles, and has earned points in nine of those 11 games (7-2-2). In the two meetings last year between the Penguins and Kings, the Penguins were 40% on the power play, going two for five. Kris Letang led the Penguins last year against the Kings with three points (1G-2A) in two games played. In his 15 career games against Los Angeles, he has 12 PTS (3G-12A) and eight (2G-6A) of those points have come at home in seven games played.
TEAM CALENDAR PRESENTED BY HIGHMARK
Fans in attendance at tonight’s game will receive a team calendar courtesy of Highmark.
QUICK HITS
Pittsburgh earned points in 23 of its 32 games against the Western Conference last season. The Penguins’ .641 winning percentage versus the West was the sixth-highest among all Eastern Conference teams.
Tristan Jarry‘s 2.31 goals-against average and .922 save percentage against Western Conference teams rank fourth and fifth in the league, respectively, among all Eastern Conference goaltenders (min. 15GP) since 2019-20.
Evgeni Malkin has more game-winning goals (4) against the Los Angeles Kings than any active Eastern Conference player. Additionally, he has 18 points in 18 career games against the Kings, recording nine goals and nine assists.
Jeff Carter, who spent 10 seasons with the Kings from 2012-21, ranks 10th and 14th on Los Angeles’ all-time goals (194) and points (383) lists, respectively. His 44 game-winning goals with LA are the fifth-most in franchise history.
Fifteen of Jake Guentzel‘s 40 goals last year came in 31 games against the Western Conference. Only seven Eastern Conference skaters scored more goals against the West than Guentzel.
SULLY SAYS
Head Coach Mike Sullivan enters tonight’s game one win shy of his 300th win as head coach of the Penguins. Sullivan boasts a 299-156-55 record in 510 games with Pittsburgh. His 299 wins rank first all-time in franchise history and his 510 games coached and .640 points percentage rank second. He is the second-longest tenured head coach in the NHL behind Tampa Bay’s Jon Cooper (hired in 2012-13).
Sullivan has a career coaching record of 369-212-93 in 674 games split between the Boston Bruins (2003-06) and Pittsburgh (2015-Present). In seven-plus seasons with the Penguins, Sullivan has won two Stanley Cups (2016, ’17), one division title, and has had five 100-point seasons in five full 82-game campaigns.
COACH INTERVIEW
Video: Sullivan speaks to the media.
GAME TRIGGER PROMOTIONS
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