The Penguins are coming off a loss to a great Capitals team on Saturday, but things aren't getting easier tonight as they match up with the Los Angeles Kings (25-13-5).
Mandatory Credit: Charles LeClaire-Imagn Images
The Matchup
The last time these two teams squared off was about a month ago when the Penguins stunned the Kings with a Rickard Rakell overtime tip-in goal to complete the comeback, 3-2.
On the road, the Penguins haven't fared particularly well out in Los Angeles, but nostalgic fans will remember the last trip the team made to Crypto Arena.
With the Penguins on an 0-5-0 streak in LA, Bryan Rust took matters into his own hands and won the game not once, but twice, and then he hit the most iconic goal celly of last season for Pittsburgh.
Behind Bunting's goal against Tampa Bay, this was the 2nd best goal of the 2023-24 season for the Pittsburgh.
So the Penguins are on a bit of a cardiac coaster when it comes to playing the Kings. They'll likely need some more of that tonight.
The Kings are just a Capitals re-skin
You thought Logan Thompson was good? Well, Darcy Kuemper has been just as good as the lead goaltender for Los Angeles.
The Kings have not announced their starting goalie as of 6pm EST, but the Penguins might not have to crack Kuemper tonight. David Rittich is expected to start between the pipes.
While he's not top-5 goalie caliber like Kuemper, Rittich is currently 15th in the NHL in GAA at 2.52 and boasts an 11-9-0 record. The following stats were from his stint with the Kings last season. The bottom line is that he's been very solid.
The Penguins are coming off a loss to a great Capitals team on Saturday, but things aren't getting easier tonight as they match up with the Los Angeles Kings (25-13-5).
The Matchup
The last time these two teams squared off was about a month ago when the Penguins stunned the Kings with a Rickard Rakell overtime tip-in goal to complete the comeback, 3-2.
On the road, the Penguins haven't fared particularly well out in Los Angeles, but nostalgic fans will remember the last trip the team made to Crypto Arena.
With the Penguins on an 0-5-0 streak in LA, Bryan Rust took matters into his own hands and won the game not once, but twice, and then he hit the most iconic goal celly of last season for Pittsburgh.
Behind Bunting's goal against Tampa Bay, this was the 2nd best goal of the 2023-24 season for the Pittsburgh.
So the Penguins are on a bit of a cardiac coaster when it comes to playing the Kings. They'll likely need some more of that tonight.
The Kings are just a Capitals re-skin
You thought Logan Thompson was good? Well, Darcy Kuemper has been just as good as the lead goaltender for Los Angeles.
The Kings have not announced their starting goalie as of 6pm EST, but the Penguins might not have to crack Kuemper tonight. David Rittich is expected to start between the pipes.
While he's not top-5 goalie caliber like Kuemper, Rittich is currently 15th in the NHL in GAA at 2.52 and boasts an 11-9-0 record. The following stats were from his stint with the Kings last season. The bottom line is that he's been very solid.
The Kings are the best team in the NHL at preventing shots this season, so the combination of their defensive structure and great goaltending makes for a high octane team that just needs to be average at scoring.
Los Angeles is right around the same level as the Penguins in goals per game, meaning the defensive alignments will tell the story in this game.
Can Ned do it again?
The "Alex Nedeljkovic Hat Trick" involves a goal, an assist, and 40 saves.Can he replicate that against one of the best teams in the NHL? That remains to be seen, but it seems like Ned saw the subtraction of Tristan Jarry and took ownership of the situation. He wants to be the solution, and there's no better opportunity to prove it than tonight.
