The Pittsburgh Penguins (25-14-11) hit the road to face the Vancouver Canucks (17-29-5) in an inter-conference tilt. The Penguins, riding a three-game win streak and sitting second in the Metropolitan Division, look to extend their dominance in this series against a Canucks team mired in a five-game losing skid and plagued by injuries. This matchup could feature high-end skill from Pittsburgh’s veterans against Vancouver’s young core, but the Canucks’ defensive struggles and goaltending woes might tilt the scales.
Venue Location
The game will be played at Rogers Arena in Vancouver, British Columbia, Canada. This 18,910-capacity venue, home to the Canucks since 1995, is renowned for its vibrant atmosphere and has hosted numerous memorable NHL moments, including the 2011 Stanley Cup Final.
Puck drop is scheduled for 6:00 p.m. ET (3:00 p.m. PT)
TV/Streaming: NHL Network, Sportsnet, and regional broadcasts; live streams available on ESPN+ and NHL platforms.
Injury Report
Both teams are navigating significant injuries, with Vancouver hit particularly hard in net and on the blue line. Updates as of January 24, 2026:
Pittsburgh Penguins:
Kris Letang (D): Day-to-day, upper-body injury. He returned to practice in a regular jersey but his status for the game remains questionable.
Ryan Graves (D): Injured reserve, undisclosed injury. Placed on IR in January, expected to miss extended time.
Tanner Howe (F): Out, ACL injury. Long-term absence.
Filip Hallander (F): Out, leg injury. Sidelined indefinitely.
Erik Karlsson (D): Recently returned from a lower-body injury that sidelined him for five games; expected to play.
Vancouver Canucks:
Thatcher Demko (G): Out, undisclosed injury. Feared to be season-ending, with reports indicating a major setback; not expected back soon.
Marco Rossi (C): Out, lower-body injury. Expected to miss 2-3 more weeks, return around January 27.
Derek Forbort (D): Out, undisclosed.
Guillaume Brisebois (D): Out, undisclosed.
Filip Chytil (C): Day-to-day, upper-body injury. Game-time decision after recent speculation.
Vancouver’s injury list has contributed to their recent slide, while Pittsburgh’s depth has held up during absences.
Key Player Matchups
Expect star power to shine in these key battles:
Sidney Crosby (PIT) vs. Quinn Hughes (VAN): Crosby’s all-around game and recent point streak against Hughes’ elite puck-moving and offensive instincts from the blue line.
Evgeni Malkin (PIT) vs. Elias Pettersson (VAN): Veteran playmaking vs. Pettersson’s two-way skill; Malkin has been hot with multi-point games lately.
Rickard Rakell (PIT) vs. J.T. Miller (VAN): Rakell’s scoring touch against Miller’s physicality and leadership.
Goaltending: Tristan Jarry (PIT) vs. Arturs Silovs or Kevin Lankinen (VAN): Jarry’s consistency vs. Vancouver’s backup options amid Demko’s absence. Watch for Pittsburgh’s power play (top-10 efficiency) exploiting Vancouver’s leaky penalty kill.
Recent Team Forms
Pittsburgh Penguins (Last 5 Games): 4-1-0 (Entering on a 3-game win streak)
Jan 22 vs. EDM: W 6-2 (Scored three goals in 37 seconds; strong offensive outburst)
Jan 21 at CGY: W 4-1 (Dominant road win)
Jan 10 vs. CGY: L 1-4 (Earlier loss, but bounced back strongly)
Jan 4 vs. CBJ: W 5-4 (Close victory)
Jan 3 vs. DET: W 4-1 (Solid defensive effort)
The Penguins are 7-3-0 in their last 10, with a +12 goal differential, showing improved scoring depth.
Vancouver Canucks (Last 5 Games): 0-5-0 (On a 5-game losing streak)
Jan 23 vs. NJD: L 4-5 (Blew leads, defensive collapse)
Jan 8 vs. DET: L 1-5 (Offense stifled)
Jan 6 vs. BUF: L 3-5 (Another home defeat)
Jan 3 vs. BOS: L 2-3 (Tight loss)
Jan 2 vs. SEA: L 3-4 (Started the skid)
The Canucks are 2-8-0 in their last 10, with a -15 goal differential, highlighting ongoing defensive and goaltending issues.
Series History
Pittsburgh holds a strong all-time edge with a 73-45-11 record against Vancouver in 129 meetings.
The Penguins are 6-3-1 in the last 10 matchups, including a 2-game win streak.
Recent games: Pittsburgh won 5-1 on October 21, 2025, and 5-4 on November 27, 2024.
Vancouver’s last win over Pittsburgh was on February 27, 2024 (4-3).
The Canucks are 16-42-7 all-time at home vs. the Penguins.
Betting Trends
Over has hit in 4 of Pittsburgh’s last 6 road games and 3 of Vancouver’s last 5 home contests. Penguins are 6-3-1 in last 10 vs. Canucks; 8-4 as road favorites this season. Canucks are 4-6 as home underdogs and have covered the puck line in only 40% of games vs. PIT historically.
Game Odds
Pittsburgh Penguins – 148
Vancouver Canucks 6.5
Odds Courtesy of Sports Odds Direct as of Saturday, January 24, 2026
