Scheduled Puck Drop is set for 7:00 p.m. ET.
Venue: Nationwide Arena, Columbus, Ohio
Broadcast: ESPN+ (local options include CBJHN/CBJNHL for Columbus; SN-PIT for Pittsburgh)
Metropolitan Division rivals meet early in the 2026-27 season. Pittsburgh is looking to bounce back from a recent road loss, while Columbus hosts with extra rest and some key personnel returning.
Current Records & Standings
Pittsburgh Penguins: 2-2-0 (4 points). High-scoring early (around 4.5 goals per game) but allowing nearly as many. Roughly mid-pack in the Metropolitan Division.
Columbus Blue Jackets: 1-1-0 (2 points). Even goal differential through two games; lower in the Metropolitan standings with limited sample size.
Injury Reports
Pittsburgh Penguins:
Justin Brazeau (lower body) – Out
Ryan Graves (knee) – Out
Andrei Kuzmenko (personal) – Out
Bryan Rust (upper body) – Day-to-day / activated in some reports and available
Columbus Blue Jackets:
Dante Fabbro (upper body / broken hand) – Out
Ivan Provorov (lower body) – Out
Isac Lundeström (Achilles) – Out
Damon Severson (shoulder) – Expected to make season debut after recovery
Both sides are missing defensive depth, though Columbus gains Severson’s return.
Current Player Rosters / Projected Lines
Pittsburgh Penguins:
Forwards: Rickard Rakell – Sidney Crosby – Bryan Rust; Egor Chinakhov – Tommy Novak – Evgeni Malkin; Ville Koivunen – Ben Kindel – Hendrix Lapierre; Connor Dewar – Blake Lizotte – Nick Robertson.
Defense: Declan Carlile – Erik Karlsson; Samuel Girard – Kaedan Korczak; Trevor van Riemsdyk – Kris Letang.
Goalie: Sergei Murashov expected to start (Arturs Silovs available as backup).
Columbus Blue Jackets:
Forwards: Matthew Knies – Adam Fantilli – Kent Johnson; Valeri Nichushkin – Sean Monahan – Dmitri Voronkov; Cole Sillinger – Charlie Coyle – Mathieu Olivier; Ryan Lomberg – Danton Heinen – Conor Garland.
Defense: Zach Werenski – Damon Severson (debut); other pairs including Soucy/Mateychuk and Andrae/Gudbranson.
Goalie: Jet Greaves or Cam Talbot (Talbot potentially making his Blue Jackets debut).
Key Player vs. Player Matchups
Sidney Crosby / Evgeni Malkin (PIT) vs. Columbus defense: Crosby and Malkin remain the offensive engines; containing them (especially with Karlsson on the back end) is critical for Columbus.
Adam Fantilli / Matthew Knies / Kent Johnson (CBJ) vs. Pittsburgh’s top pairings: Fantilli’s emerging playmaking and Knies’ finishing will test Pittsburgh’s mobile but incomplete blue line.
Erik Karlsson / Kris Letang (PIT) vs. Columbus’ top forwards: Offensive defensemen create transition chances and power-play threats.
Goaltending: Murashov (PIT) against Greaves/Talbot (CBJ). Special teams could swing the game given early-season percentages.
Recent Team Forms
Pittsburgh Penguins: Mixed. Recent results include a 5-3 loss at Washington (after falling behind early), prior losses, and an OT win. High-event hockey with strong scoring but defensive inconsistency. Coming off a loss.
Columbus Blue Jackets: Limited sample (1-1-0). Coming off a loss to Utah; well-rested (extra days between games) compared to Pittsburgh’s busier schedule. Looking to stabilize at home.
Series History
Pittsburgh has dominated the recent series. The Penguins hold a strong historical edge against Columbus, including a notable long-term winning stretch in prior seasons. Games are often competitive and can feature goals from both sides.
Betting Trends
Home rest advantage and Pittsburgh’s road schedule are factored into the lines.
Game Odds
Pittsburgh Penguins 6.5
Columbus Blue Jackets – 115
Odds Courtesy of Sports Odds Direct as of Thursday, October 8, 2026
