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Pittsburgh Penguins vs Carolina Hurricanes

Regular season · Saturday, December 26, 2026 · Lenovo Center

Pittsburgh PenguinsPittsburghPenguinsAway

vs

Carolina HurricanesCarolinaHurricanesHome

CARNHL · HHN · WRAL · SN-PIT

Game preview

The Pittsburgh Penguins visit the Carolina Hurricanes at Lenovo Center on Saturday, December 26, 2026, with puck drop at 7:00 PM ET. The game is on CARNHL, HHN, WRAL and SN-PIT.

This is the first of 4 meetings between the teams this season.

Rest and travel

Penguins

First game of a road trip.

  1. 162026-12-16: no game
  2. 172026-12-17: vs LAK
  3. 182026-12-18: vs SEA, second of a back-to-backB2B
  4. 192026-12-19: no game
  5. 202026-12-20: no game
  6. 212026-12-21: no game
  7. 222026-12-22: vs BUF
  8. 232026-12-23: no game
  9. 242026-12-24: no game
  10. 252026-12-25: no game
  11. 262026-12-26: at CAR
rest since last game
3 days
rest since last game
since last game
~328 mi
since last game
on this road trip
~328 mi
on this road trip
body clock vs home
Home time
body clock vs home

Hurricanes

First home game after a 4-game road trip (Columbus, Utah, Colorado and Vegas).

  1. 162026-12-16: no game
  2. 172026-12-17: at UTA
  3. 182026-12-18: at COL, second of a back-to-backB2B
  4. 192026-12-19: no game
  5. 202026-12-20: no game
  6. 212026-12-21: at VGK
  7. 222026-12-22: no game
  8. 232026-12-23: no game
  9. 242026-12-24: no game
  10. 252026-12-25: no game
  11. 262026-12-26: vs PIT
rest since last game
4 days
rest since last game
since last game
~2,027 mi
since last game
on this road trip
~4,892 mi
on this road trip
body clock vs home
Home time
body clock vs home
Home game Road game This gameB2B = second night of a back-to-back. Distances are approximate.

Lines from last game

Pittsburgh PenguinsPenguinsTue, Oct 13 at CHI
  1. L1Malkin#71Novak#18Chinakhov#59
    10:00 together at 5v5
  2. L2Crosby#87Rust#17Rakell#67
    9:53 together at 5v5
  3. L3Robertson#14Dewar#19Lizotte#46
    9:30 together at 5v5
  4. L4NewKuzmenko#62Kindel#81Koivunen#41
    8:19 together at 5v5
  1. D1Girard#49Korczak#6
    13:06 together at 5v5
  2. D2Letang#58Stastney#24
    12:11 together at 5v5
  3. D3Karlsson#65Carlile#72
    10:48 together at 5v5

Power play

  1. 1Malkin CCrosby CKindel CRakell RKarlsson D5:00
  2. 2Kuzmenko LNovak CChinakhov RKoivunen RLetang D1:40

Penalty kill

  1. 1Lizotte CRust RKorczak DCarlile D1:29
  2. 2Dewar CKindel CKorczak DCarlile D1:11
Carolina HurricanesHurricanesTue, Oct 13 vs WSH
  1. L1Carrier#28Aho#20Svechnikov#37
    9:00 together at 5v5
  2. L2Jankowski#77Martinook#48Ehlers#27
    7:02 together at 5v5
  3. L3Deslauriers#44Robinson#50Kotkaniemi#82
    5:20 together at 5v5
  4. L4Hall#71Stankoven#22Blake#53
    3:09 together at 5v5
  1. D1Walker#26Miller#19
    17:18 together at 5v5
  2. D2Slavin#74Chatfield#5
    13:39 together at 5v5
  3. D3Reilly#6Gostisbehere#4
    9:49 together at 5v5

Power play

  1. 1Ehlers LAho CSvechnikov RBlake RGostisbehere D4:21
  2. 2Jankowski LRobinson LStankoven CBlake RMiller D0:33

Penalty kill

  1. 1Jankowski LMartinook LSlavin DChatfield D1:28
  2. 2Aho CStankoven CSlavin DChatfield D0:58

Behind the bench

Each grey tick is one NHL team.

PITCAR

Settled lines

Share of 5v5 time from the regular top four lines · 2026–27

PIT 70% (15th most settled)CAR 71% (11th most settled)
← Shuffles linesKeeps lines together →

Goalie pull, down one

Median time left in the 3rd when the goalie comes out, delayed penalties excluded · 2025–26 · under 10 pulls is a small sample

PIT 1:56 left (10th earliest · 14 pulls)CAR 1:51 left (15th earliest · 9 pulls)
← Pulls latePulls early →

Average shift

All skaters, all strengths · 2025–26

PIT 51.1s (3rd longest)CAR 48.0s (13th shortest)
← Short shiftsLong shifts →

Caught on long shifts

Share of 5v5 goals against with a skater 60s+ into his shift · 2025–26

PIT 33% (8th most often)CAR 28% (11th least often)
← Rarely caughtOften caught →

Season series