The Pittsburgh Penguins travel to face the Chicago Blackhawks in an interconference matchup that highlights a clash between Pittsburgh’s veteran core and Chicago’s rebuilding youth, albeit without star Connor Bedard due to injury. The Penguins, hovering around .500 with 39 points, have struggled lately (1-5-4 in last 10) but boast offensive firepower led by Sidney Crosby. The Blackhawks, with 32 points and mired in a slump (2-8-0 in last 10), have scored just eight goals in their last five games without Bedard, relying on defense and goaltending to stay competitive. This game could hinge on Pittsburgh’s power play (top-10 league) against Chicago’s penalty kill, especially in a potentially low-scoring affair at the United Center.
Venue Location
United Center, Chicago, Illinois. This 19,717-capacity arena, home to the Blackhawks since 1994, is known for its passionate fans and has hosted numerous memorable NHL moments. As a neutral site for Pittsburgh, it favors the home team with a 7-8-3 record for Chicago this season.
Puckdrop is set for 6:00 PM CT (7:00 PM ET). The game will be broadcast on ESPN, with live coverage including scores and highlights. Radio options include WGN 720 AM for Chicago and WXDX 105.9 FM for Pittsburgh.
Injury Report
Both teams are dealing with key absences, particularly Chicago, which is without its top scorer. Updates as of December 27:
Pittsburgh Penguins:
Blake Lizotte (F): Probable (Undisclosed) – Returned to full practice and cleared for contact; expected to rejoin lineup after missing nine games.
Evgeni Malkin (F): Out (Upper-body) – Sidelined indefinitely.
Rutger McGroarty (F): Questionable (Upper-body) – Has played recently but monitoring after preseason injury.
Chicago Blackhawks:
Connor Bedard (C): Out (Shoulder) – On IR, expected out until at least January 1; has 19 goals and 44 points in 31 games.
Nick Foligno (LW): Out (Hand) – On IR, expected out until at least December 28.
Frank Nazar (C): Out (Undisclosed) – Expected out until January 17.
Shea Weber (D): Out (LTIR) – Long-term, out until at least July 1.
These injuries weaken Chicago’s offense significantly, forcing reliance on secondary scoring, while Pittsburgh’s depth helps mitigate Malkin’s absence.
Key Player Matchups
With Bedard out, the focus shifts to Pittsburgh’s stars exploiting Chicago’s depleted lineup. Assumed matchups based on recent trends:
Sidney Crosby (PIT C) vs. Philipp Kurashev (CHI C): Crosby (leading Penguins with points) brings elite playmaking and faceoff prowess (55% wins). Kurashev, stepping up without Bedard, must contain Crosby’s zone entries, but Crosby’s experience gives Pittsburgh the edge.
Erik Karlsson (PIT D) vs. Taylor Hall (CHI LW): Karlsson’s offensive defense (top-10 in assists among D) vs. Hall’s speed on the wing. Hall could exploit Karlsson’s occasional turnovers, but Karlsson’s puck-moving tilts the matchup.
Bryan Rust (PIT RW) vs. Teuvo Teravainen (CHI RW): Rust’s scoring touch (double-digit goals) battles Teravainen’s two-way game. With Malkin out, Rust steps up; Teravainen needs to disrupt Pittsburgh’s cycle.
Tristan Jarry (PIT G) vs. Petr Mrazek (CHI G): Jarry (.905 SV%) vs. Mrazek (.890 SV%). Jarry’s rebound control could feast on Chicago’s low shot volume (28 SOG/game), while Mrazek must stand tall against Pittsburgh’s 32 SOG average.
Michael Bunting (PIT LW) vs. Seth Jones (CHI D): Bunting’s net-front presence vs. Jones’ shot-blocking (league-high among D). Jones could limit second-chance goals, but Bunting’s grit favors Pittsburgh.
Overall, Pittsburgh’s veteran savvy should dominate, especially without Bedard.
Recent Team Forms
Pittsburgh is 1-5-4 in their last 10 with a -17 goal differential, showing defensive woes. Chicago is 2-8-0 with -21 GD, hit hard by injuries.
Pittsburgh Penguins (1-5-4 in last 10):
| Date | Opponent | Result | Score |
| Dec 23 | vs. PHI | L | TBD (from trends) |
| Dec 20 | at NJD | OTL | 2-3 |
| Dec 18 | vs. TOR | L | 1-4 |
| Dec 16 | at BOS | W | 3-2 |
| Dec 13 | vs. NYI | L | 2-5 |
| Dec 11 | at DET | OTL | 3-4 (OT) |
| Dec 9 | vs. COL | L | 1-3 |
| Dec 7 | at DAL | SOL | 2-3 (SO) |
| Dec 5 | vs. FLA | L | 2-4 |
| Dec 3 | at CGY | OTL | 4-5 (OT) |
Averaging 2.3 GPG but allowing 3.9; road struggles (3-3-2 last 8 away).
Chicago Blackhawks (2-8-0 in last 10):
| Date | Opponent | Result | Score |
| Dec 27 | at DAL | L | TBD |
| Dec 23 | vs. WPG | L | 2-4 |
| Dec 21 | at MIN | L | 1-3 |
| Dec 19 | vs. SEA | W | 3-2 |
| Dec 16 | at WSH | L | 1-4 |
| Dec 14 | at NYI | L | 2-5 |
| Dec 12 | at NYR | L | 1-3 |
| Dec 9 | vs. SJS | W | 4-2 |
| Dec 7 | at WPG | L | 2-4 |
| Dec 5 | vs. ANA | L | 3-5 |
Averaging 2.1 GPG but allowing 3.7; home form mixed (4-4-1 last 9).
Series History
Pittsburgh leads the all-time series 73-55-16 (including ties). In the last 10 meetings, Penguins are 7-2-1, with games averaging 5.8 goals (over in 6 of 10). Recent: Pittsburgh won the last three, including a 5-0 shutout on April 8, 2025. Chicago’s last win was March 1, 2024 (4-1). Penguins are 4-1 in last five at United Center, often high-scoring (over in 4/5).
Betting Trends
Other Trends: Penguins 4-6 ATS last 10; 2-3 ATS as favorites. Blackhawks 3-7 ATS last 10; 4-4 ATS at home. Over in 5 of Penguins’ last 7 road games; under in 6 of Blackhawks’ last 8. Head-to-head: Penguins 6-4 ATS last 10; over in 6/10. December specifics: Penguins 5-5 SU last 10 Dec road games; Blackhawks 3-7 ATS vs. East.
Game Odds
Pittsburgh Penguins – 170
Chicago Blackhawks 5.5
Odds Courtesy of Sports Odds Direct as of Saturday, December 27, 2025
