{"id":500493,"date":"2026-03-13T01:30:34","date_gmt":"2026-03-13T01:30:34","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.rawchili.com\/nhl\/500493\/"},"modified":"2026-03-13T01:30:34","modified_gmt":"2026-03-13T01:30:34","slug":"penguins-game-65-the-fortress-lines-notes-how-to-watch-vs-vgk","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.rawchili.com\/nhl\/500493\/","title":{"rendered":"Penguins Game 65, The Fortress; Lines, Notes, & How to Watch vs. VGK"},"content":{"rendered":"

LAS VEGAS \u2014 The Fortress awaits the Pittsburgh Penguins<\/a> (32-17-15) in the second of their crucial five-game road trip. The Penguins begin with a three-point lead over the Columbus Blue Jackets for a playoff spot in the Metro Division and have an active, albeit somewhat dubious three-game points streak as they face the Vegas Golden Knights<\/a> (29-22-14) Thursday at T-Mobile Arena.<\/p>\n

The puck drops just after 10 p.m. EST.<\/p>\n

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It will be the Penguins\u2019 fourth game without Evgeni Malkin<\/a> and Sidney Crosby<\/a>. Malkin is serving a five-game suspension for slashing, and Crosby is rehabbing a lower-body injury, but is with the team on the road trip.<\/p>\n

Recent results have been both good news and bad news. The Penguins\u2019 three-game point streak includes two losses, one in overtime to the Philadelphia Flyers and a 5-4 shootout loss to the Carolina Hurricanes Tuesday. The Penguins won in overtime over the Boston Bruins Sunday.<\/p>\n

The Penguins undertook a dramatic comeback Tuesday to salvage a point against Metro Division leading Carolina. The depleted Penguins lineup without Malkin, Crosby, Justin Brazeau and Sam Girard trained 4-2 late in the third period and were being dominated.<\/p>\n

However, after coach Dan Muse<\/a> pulled goalie Stuart Skinner for the extra attacker with several minutes to play, the Penguins scored a pair of goals. First, Noel Acciari deflected Bryan Rust\u2019s shot with 2:08 remaining, and then the Penguins tied the game with 36 seconds remaining when Rust slammed a rebound past Carolina goalie Frederik Andersen.<\/p>\n

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The Penguins scored on one of three in the shootout (Ben Kindel<\/a>), but goalie Stuart Skinner allowed a pair of goals. The Penguins fell to 1-10 in shootouts this season.<\/p>\n

Rust scored a pair of goals, and Anthony Mantha also lit the lamp. Skinner made 39 saves on 43 shots.<\/p>\n

Conversely, Vegas has lost six of its last seven games, including a 2-1 loss to the Dallas Stars in Dallas on Tuesday. Jack Eichel scored the lone Vegas goal and Adin Hill stopped 14 of 16 shots.<\/p>\n

Based on Penguins coach Dan Muse\u2019s goalie rotation, Arturs Silovs is the Penguins\u2019 expected starter in goal. Hill is expected for Vegas.<\/p>\n

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How to Watch<\/p>\n

TV: SportsNet Pittsburgh<\/p>\n

Radio: 105.9 The X.<\/p>\n

Expected Penguins Lines<\/p>\n

Egor Chinakhov-Rickard Rakell-Bryan Rust<\/p>\n

Anthony Mantha-Tommy Novak-Ville Koivunen<\/p>\n

Elmer Soderblom-Ben Kindel-Avery Hayes<\/p>\n

Connor Dewar-Blake Lizotte-Noel Acciari<\/p>\n

Defense<\/p>\n

Parker Wotherspoon-Erik Karlsson<\/p>\n

Ryan Shea-Kris Letang<\/p>\n

Ilya Solovyov-Connor Clifton<\/p>\n

Goalie: Arturs Silovs, expected<\/p>\n

Expected Golden Knights Lines<\/p>\n

Ivan Barbashev-Jack Eichel-Braeden Bowman<\/p>\n

Brett Howden-Mitch Marner-Pavel Dorofeyev<\/p>\n

Reilly Smith-Tomas Hertl-Keegan Kolesar<\/p>\n

Cole Smith-Nic Dowd-Colton Sissons<\/p>\n

Defense<\/p>\n

Brayden McNabb-Shea Theodore<\/p>\n

Noah Hanifin-Rasmus Andersson<\/p>\n

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Jeremey Lauzon-Korczak<\/p>\n

Goalie: Adin Hill, expected<\/p>\n

Special Teams<\/p>\n

Penguins\u2019 power play: 25.1%, 5th. Penguins penalty kill: 84.3%, 2nd.<\/p>\n

Golden Knights power play: 25.4%, 3rd. Golden Knights penalty kill: 81.5%, 7th.<\/p>\n

Penguins Game Notes<\/p>\n

The Penguins have wins in seven of their last 10 games against Vegas (7-3-0) dating back to Jan. 7, 2020, and have never lost a season series to Vegas since the Golden Knights began play in the 2017-18 season.<\/p>\n

The Penguins are 13-6-6 against Western Conference opponents this year.<\/p>\n

Kris Letang has seven assists in his last eight games versus the Golden Knights.<\/p>\n

When Tommy Novak scores, the Penguins win. The team has points in 25 of 29 games (19-4-6) in which Novak has recorded at least one point.<\/p>\n

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Ville Koivunen has two points (0-2-2) in three games since his recall.<\/p>\n

Erik Karlsson tallied two assists on Tuesday against the Hurricanes and now has nine points (2-7-9) in his last seven games.<\/p>\n

Anthony Mantha has 24 goals this season and is one goal shy of tying his career high (2018-19), and has 48 points, one point away from setting a career high (2018-19).<\/p>\n

Mantha leads all players on new teams in goals.<\/p>\n

Most Goals on a New Team
Anthony Mantha PIT 24
Chris Kreider ANA 21
Trevor Zegras PHI 21
JJ Peterka UTA 21
Josh Doan BUF 21<\/p>\n

Ben Kindel\u2019s 15 goals rank fourth among NHL rookies.<\/p>\n

The post Penguins Game 65, The Fortress; Lines, Notes, & How to Watch vs. VGK<\/a> appeared first on Pittsburgh Hockey Now<\/a>.<\/p>\n

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