Schedule / Matchup Preview

Pittsburgh Penguins vs Washington Capitals · Matchup Preview Based on 26-27 form — rosters current

Season 26-27
Matchup Preview vs Capitals · SAT · MAR 13 · 2:00 PM CT ← Back to schedule
Upcoming
SAT · MAR 13 · 2:00 PM CT
PPG Paints Arena
ABC
Pittsburgh Penguins
Penguins
2–0–0
VS
Washington Capitals
Capitals
1–1–0
Upcoming
SAT · MAR 13 · 2:00 PM CT
ABC
Pittsburgh Penguins
Home · Penguins
2–0–0
4 PTS
VS
Puck Drop In
The read
The special-teams edge is the Penguins': a 2nd-ranked power play against a penalty kill ranked 29th. But Logan Thompson has Egor Chinakhov figured out, 18 shots without a goal.
PPG Paints Arena
Washington Capitals
Away · Capitals
1–1–0
2 PTS
Penguins
GOALIES
Capitals
Arturs Silovs
Arturs Silovs
Expected
.886 SV% · 2.47 GAA · 2W
.920 SV% L5 · Locked in
VS
Logan Thompson
Logan Thompson
Expected
.939 SV% · 2.00 GAA · 1W
.923 SV% L5 · Locked in
Penguins
PROJECTED TOP LINES
Capitals
L1
Nicholas Robertson · Sidney Crosby · Rickard Rakell
L1
Alex Tuch · Pierre-Luc Dubois · Tom Wilson
L2
Egor Chinakhov · Tommy Novak · Evgeni Malkin
L2
Alex Ovechkin · Dylan Strome · Ryan Leonard
L3
Andrei Kuzmenko · Ben Kindel · Hendrix Lapierre
L3
Aliaksei Protas · Ilya Protas · Jordan Kyrou
L4
Connor Dewar · Blake Lizotte · Filip Hallander
L4
Boone Jenner · Justin Sourdif · Anthony Beauvillier
D1
Declan Carlile · Erik Karlsson
D1
Jakob Chychrun · Matt Roy
D2
Samuel Girard · Kaedan Korczak
D2
Cole Hutson · Vincent Desharnais
D3
Trevor van Riemsdyk · Kris Letang
D3
Martin Fehervary · Timothy Liljegren
PP1
Ben Kindel · Tommy Novak · Rickard Rakell · Erik Karlsson · Sidney Crosby
PP1
Tom Wilson · Dylan Strome · Pierre-Luc Dubois · Alex Ovechkin · Jakob Chychrun
PP2
Andrei Kuzmenko · Hendrix Lapierre · Egor Chinakhov · Kris Letang · Evgeni Malkin
PP2
Alex Tuch · Ilya Protas · Ryan Leonard · Cole Hutson · Jordan Kyrou
PK1
Filip Hallander · Connor Dewar · Samuel Girard · Kris Letang
PK1
Aliaksei Protas · Tom Wilson · Vincent Desharnais · Matt Roy
PK2
Ben Kindel · Rickard Rakell · Trevor van Riemsdyk · Erik Karlsson
PK2
Boone Jenner · Alex Tuch · Martin Fehervary · Timothy Liljegren
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
CapitalsProjected lines
L1
Alex Tuch · Pierre-Luc Dubois · Tom Wilson
L2
Alex Ovechkin · Dylan Strome · Ryan Leonard
L3
Aliaksei Protas · Ilya Protas · Jordan Kyrou
L4
Boone Jenner · Justin Sourdif · Anthony Beauvillier
D1
Jakob Chychrun · Matt Roy
D2
Cole Hutson · Vincent Desharnais
D3
Martin Fehervary · Timothy Liljegren
PP1
Tom Wilson · Dylan Strome · Pierre-Luc Dubois · Alex Ovechkin · Jakob Chychrun
PP2
Alex Tuch · Ilya Protas · Ryan Leonard · Cole Hutson · Jordan Kyrou
PK1
Aliaksei Protas · Tom Wilson · Vincent Desharnais · Matt Roy
PK2
Boone Jenner · Alex Tuch · Martin Fehervary · Timothy Liljegren
Last Game (2026-10-03) · Oct 4 · 6:19 AM CT Last Game (2026-10-03) · Oct 4 · 6:10 AM CT
Penguins
INJURY REPORT
Capitals
Bryan Rust
IR · Upper body · Expected back Oct 5
Matt Roy
DAY-TO-DAY · Lower body
Justin Brazeau
IR · Lower body · Expected back Oct 7
Patrick Thomas
IR · Upper body · Expected back Oct 24
Ryan Graves
IR · Knee · Expected back Oct 24
Rasmus Sandin
IR · Right knee (surgery) · Expected back Dec 26
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
CapitalsInjury report
Matt Roy
DAY-TO-DAY · Lower body
Patrick Thomas
IR · Upper body · Expected back Oct 24
Rasmus Sandin
IR · Right knee (surgery) · Expected back Dec 26
Last Game (2026-10-03) · Oct 4 · 6:19 AM CT Last Game (2026-10-03) · Oct 4 · 6:10 AM CT
STORYLINE
The Penguins have won 2 straight and are 2-0-0 in their first 2 games. The Capitals lost their last game and are 1-1-0 in their first 2 games.

Matchup Intel

The special-teams edge is the Penguins': a 2nd-ranked power play against a penalty kill ranked 29th. But Logan Thompson has Egor Chinakhov figured out, 18 shots without a goal.

Bryan Rust has quietly owned this matchup, 5 points in the last 4 meetings. Washington has found Arturs Silovs beatable: .869 on 61 shots.

The numbers behind it
Special Teams
Pittsburgh's power play ranks 2nd while Washington's penalty kill ranks 29th.
2nd / 29th PP vs PK
Matchup
Andrei Kuzmenko has 4 goals on Logan Thompson (11 shots).
(Pittsburgh)
4 goals on Logan Thompson
Matchup
Egor Chinakhov has 18 shots on Logan Thompson without a goal.
(Pittsburgh)
0/18 vs Logan Thompson
Player
Bryan Rust has 5 points in his last 4 games against Washington. See the games →
(Pittsburgh)
5 pts, last 4 vs WSH
Player
Alex Ovechkin has 5 points in his last 4 games against Pittsburgh. See the games →
(Washington)
5 pts, last 4 vs PIT
Goaltending
Arturs Silovs has struggled against Washington — a .869 save % on 61 shots.
.869 SV% vs WSH
Milestone
Nick Robertson is 2 goals shy of 100 career goals.
98 career goals