Golden Knights Face Penguins in Crucial Matchup This Afternoon

The Vegas Golden Knights are set to take on the Pittsburgh Penguins today at 1:00 p.m. Eastern in a pivotal matchup for both teams. The Golden Knights come into the game with a record of 28-17-14, placing them first in the Pacific Division with 70 points. Meanwhile, the Penguins sit just above them in the standings, boasting a record of 30-15-13 and 73 points, good for second in the Metropolitan Division.

This game marks the beginning of a grueling March for the Penguins, who will play 17 games throughout the month. Following today’s contest, Pittsburgh will travel to Boston for a Tuesday night showdown before returning home for three consecutive games against Buffalo, Philadelphia, and Boston next weekend. After that, they face a challenging five-game road trip.

As for the Golden Knights, they are coming off a victory against Los Angeles in their Olympic return game on Wednesday. Today’s matchup is the second leg of a four-game eastern swing, following a tough 3-2 loss to the Capitals on Friday. Vegas will continue their road trip with games against Buffalo and Detroit later this week.

The season series will continue when the Penguins head to Vegas on March 12th to complete their two-game set against the Knights. Both teams have had notable success with their special teams this season, as the Penguins rank third in power play efficiency and second in penalty killing. Vegas isn’t far behind, holding the fifth spot in power play and tenth in penalty kill effectiveness. They are the only two teams in the NHL with both special teams ranked in the top ten.

However, a hidden challenge looms for both teams, as they have struggled in shootouts this season. Combined, the Penguins and Golden Knights hold a dismal 2-14 record in shootouts, with Pittsburgh at 1-8 and Vegas at 1-6. If today’s game goes the distance, it could be an interesting test for both squads.

In terms of lineups, the Golden Knights are projected to feature forwards Ivan Barbashev, Jack Eichel, and Mark Stone on their top line, while the Penguins will counter with Egor Chinakhov, Tommy Novak, and Evgeni Malkin. The Knights will rely on goaltenders Adin Hill and Akira Schmidt, while the Penguins will start Arturs Silovs.

The key to the game for the Penguins will be their offensive production against a Vegas team that, despite its ability to limit shots, has allowed a significant number of goals at even strength due to inconsistent goaltending. In their last two games without Sidney Crosby, the Penguins have only managed one 5v5 goal from a forward. Players like Anthony Mantha, Bryan Rust, and Evgeni Malkin will need to step up if Pittsburgh hopes to secure a victory today.

Note: This recap is an independently written summary based on publicly available reporting.