As the Pittsburgh Penguins prepare to face off against the Vancouver Canucks on November 27, 2024, all eyes are on goaltender Tristan Jarry, who boasts a solid record of 4-1-1 against his hometown team, complemented by a 2.38 goals-against average and a .921 save percentage in six encounters.
Evgeni Malkin has also made his mark against the Canucks, accumulating an impressive 29 points (13 goals, 16 assists) in 23 career games against them. His average of 1.26 points per game ranks him fifth among active players with at least 15 games played against Vancouver. Over his last six home games against the Canucks, Malkin has tallied eight goals and seven assists, setting him apart as the leading Penguin in that timeframe.
Sidney Crosby, another key player for the Penguins, has recorded 24 points (12G-12A) in 24 games against the Canucks, with points in 11 of his last 15 games against the team. Notably, he has achieved multiple points in three of his last six encounters with Vancouver.
Jesse Puljujarvi has also been contributing, with nine career points against the Canucks, tying him for the team lead with Crosby over the last four games, in which he scored two goals. Rickard Rakell has proven to be a consistent performer against Vancouver as well, boasting 21 points across 32 games.
Defensive strengths are highlighted by Kris Letang and Erik Karlsson, who have maintained impressive points-per-game averages of 0.73 and 0.70 respectively against the Canucks.
Michael Bunting is on a roll, having secured six points (four goals, two assists) in his last ten games, a significant increase from his earlier performances this season.
The Penguins might see the debut of newly acquired Philip Tomasino, who has a rich history in the NHL and AHL, making him a promising addition to the team.
Historically, the Penguins have thrived when both Crosby and Malkin score, with a record of 391-90-48 in such games. Crosby is set to make his 1,296th appearance, tying him for the 16th most games played with a single franchise in NHL history. He is also just one even-strength goal away from tying Teemu Selanne for the 12th most in NHL history. Meanwhile, Malkin is on the verge of tying Jaromir Jagr for third on the Penguins’ all-time list for even-strength goals.
As the Penguins and Canucks gear up for this exciting matchup, fans are eager to see if Pittsburgh can capitalize on their home advantage and maintain their impressive records against Vancouver.
