Schedule / Matchup Preview

Pittsburgh Penguins vs Tampa Bay Lightning · Matchup Preview Based on 26-27 form — rosters current

Season 26-27
Matchup Preview vs Lightning · TUE · DEC 15 · 6:00 PM CT ← Back to schedule
Upcoming
TUE · DEC 15 · 6:00 PM CT
PPG Paints Arena
SN-PIT · The Spot
Pittsburgh Penguins
Penguins
2–0–0
VS
Tampa Bay Lightning
Lightning
1–1–0
Upcoming
TUE · DEC 15 · 6:00 PM CT
SN-PIT · The Spot
Pittsburgh Penguins
Home · Penguins
2–0–0
4 PTS
VS
Puck Drop In
The read
Evgeni Malkin has solved Andrei Vasilevskiy before, 9 goals on 75 shots. But the problem is Nikita Kucherov, who has 8 points in his last 4 against the Penguins.
PPG Paints Arena
Tampa Bay Lightning
Away · Lightning
1–1–0
2 PTS
Penguins
GOALIES
Lightning
Arturs Silovs
Arturs Silovs
Expected
.886 SV% · 2.47 GAA · 2W
.920 SV% L5 · Locked in
VS
Andrei Vasilevskiy
Andrei Vasilevskiy
Expected
.889 SV% · 2.59 GAA · 1W
.888 SV% L5 · Cooling
Penguins
PROJECTED TOP LINES
Lightning
L1
Nicholas Robertson · Sidney Crosby · Rickard Rakell
L2
Egor Chinakhov · Tommy Novak · Evgeni Malkin
L3
Andrei Kuzmenko · Ben Kindel · Hendrix Lapierre
L4
Connor Dewar · Blake Lizotte · Filip Hallander
D1
Declan Carlile · Erik Karlsson
D2
Samuel Girard · Kaedan Korczak
D3
Trevor van Riemsdyk · Kris Letang
PP1
Ben Kindel · Tommy Novak · Rickard Rakell · Erik Karlsson · Sidney Crosby
PP2
Andrei Kuzmenko · Hendrix Lapierre · Egor Chinakhov · Kris Letang · Evgeni Malkin
PK1
Filip Hallander · Connor Dewar · Samuel Girard · Kris Letang
PK2
Ben Kindel · Rickard Rakell · Trevor van Riemsdyk · Erik Karlsson
PenguinsProjected lines
L1
Nicholas Robertson · Sidney Crosby · Rickard Rakell
L2
Egor Chinakhov · Tommy Novak · Evgeni Malkin
L3
Andrei Kuzmenko · Ben Kindel · Hendrix Lapierre
L4
Connor Dewar · Blake Lizotte · Filip Hallander
D1
Declan Carlile · Erik Karlsson
D2
Samuel Girard · Kaedan Korczak
D3
Trevor van Riemsdyk · Kris Letang
PP1
Ben Kindel · Tommy Novak · Rickard Rakell · Erik Karlsson · Sidney Crosby
PP2
Andrei Kuzmenko · Hendrix Lapierre · Egor Chinakhov · Kris Letang · Evgeni Malkin
PK1
Filip Hallander · Connor Dewar · Samuel Girard · Kris Letang
PK2
Ben Kindel · Rickard Rakell · Trevor van Riemsdyk · Erik Karlsson
LightningProjected lines
No projected lines yet
Last Game (2026-10-03) · Oct 4 · 6:19 AM CT
Penguins
INJURY REPORT
Lightning
Bryan Rust
IR · Upper body · Expected back Oct 5
Emil Lilleberg
DAY-TO-DAY · Undisclosed injury
Justin Brazeau
IR · Lower body · Expected back Oct 7
Yanni Gourde
IR · Hip (surgery) · Expected back Dec 2
Ryan Graves
IR · Knee · Expected back Oct 24
Dominic James
IR · Hand · Expected back Oct 13
PenguinsInjury report
Bryan Rust
IR · Upper body · Expected back Oct 5
Justin Brazeau
IR · Lower body · Expected back Oct 7
Ryan Graves
IR · Knee · Expected back Oct 24
LightningInjury report
Emil Lilleberg
DAY-TO-DAY · Undisclosed injury
Yanni Gourde
IR · Hip (surgery) · Expected back Dec 2
Dominic James
IR · Hand · Expected back Oct 13
Last Game (2026-10-03) · Oct 4 · 6:19 AM CT
STORYLINE
The Penguins have won 2 straight and are 2-0-0 in their first 2 games. The Lightning won their last game and are 1-1-0 in their first 2 games.

Matchup Intel

Evgeni Malkin has solved Andrei Vasilevskiy before, 9 goals on 75 shots. But the problem is Nikita Kucherov, who has 8 points in his last 4 against the Penguins.

A milestone is in reach for Nick Robertson: 2 more goals for 100 career goals.

The numbers behind it
Matchup
Evgeni Malkin has 9 goals on Andrei Vasilevskiy (75 shots).
(Pittsburgh)
9 goals on Andrei Vasilevskiy
Matchup
Kris Letang has 6 goals on Andrei Vasilevskiy (74 shots).
(Pittsburgh)
6 goals on Andrei Vasilevskiy
Player
Nikita Kucherov has 8 points in his last 4 games against Pittsburgh. See the games →
(Tampa Bay)
8 pts, last 4 vs PIT
Player
Anthony Cirelli has 5 points in his last 4 games against Pittsburgh. See the games →
(Tampa Bay)
5 pts, last 4 vs PIT
Milestone
Nick Robertson is 2 goals shy of 100 career goals.
98 career goals