Puck drop is scheduled for 12:30 PM EST
Venue: Madison Square Garden, New York, NY
TV: ABC (national), SNW, TVAS
This Metropolitan Division matchup features a surging Penguins squad visiting a Rangers team mired in a season-long slump. Pittsburgh sits comfortably in playoff position (2nd in the Metro), while New York languishes near the bottom of the conference.
Team Context
- Penguins: 30-15-12 (72 points), 2nd Metropolitan, ~9-1-3 since mid-January. They rank 9th league-wide in goals per game (3.4) and have a solid +26 goal differential.
- Rangers: 22-29-7 (51 points), 8th Metropolitan. Home record is especially poor at roughly 6-15-5. They sit well outside playoff contention with a negative goal differential.
Recent Form
Penguins enter red-hot, winning 4-1 over the Devils on Feb. 26 in their first game without Sidney Crosby. They are 7-1-2 or better in their last 10 games (exact figures vary slightly by source but confirm a strong 8-1-1/9-1-3 stretch recently), averaging ~4.6 goals scored while allowing just 2.6. Depth scoring and goaltending have carried them through the Olympic break and injuries.
Rangers are on a five-game losing streak, including a 2-3 OT home loss to the Flyers on Feb. 26 despite the returns of Igor Shesterkin and Adam Fox. They have looked disorganized at both ends, with defensive lapses and an inability to close games. Even with Olympic gold medalists (e.g., J.T. Miller, Vincent Trocheck) back, the team has gone 2-11-2 in recent stretches and struggles mightily at Madison Square Garden.
Injury Report
Penguins
- Out: Sidney Crosby (C, lower-body/leg – IR, minimum 4 weeks; out since Olympics)
- Filip Hallander (C, leg – IR, expected return ~Mar 7)
- Jack St. Ivany (D, hand – IR)
- Caleb Jones (D – IR/non-roster, longer-term)
Rangers
- Key reinforcements back: Igor Shesterkin (G) and Adam Fox (D) returned Feb. 26 after lower-body injuries; Conor Sheary (F) also activated.
- Out/Likely Out: Matt Rempe (F, thumb – IR, multiple weeks); Adam Edstrom (F, lower-body – day-to-day/IR).
- Minor/resolved: Earlier Mika Zibanejad illness appears cleared.
Crosby’s absence is massive, but Pittsburgh has shown it can win without him (e.g., Nov. 26 win featured multi-goal 3rd period from depth). Rangers finally have their No. 1 goalie and top defenseman healthy.
Key Player Matchups
- Goaltending: Arturs Silovs (PIT) has been outstanding lately (~.899 SV%, multiple recent wins, 28 saves in last start). Igor Shesterkin (NYR) returns after injury; historically elite but rust and team defense are concerns. Edge: Penguins if Silovs stays hot.
- Top Centers: Evgeni Malkin (PIT – stepping up big, 2 assists vs. Devils) vs. Vincent Trocheck / Mika Zibanejad (NYR). Malkin’s playmaking will be pivotal.
- Wings/Scoring: Pittsburgh’s Rickard Rakell, Bryan Rust, and emerging depth (Tommy Novak, Egor Chinakhov, Benjamin Kindel) vs. Rangers’ Alexis Lafreniere, J.T. Miller (post-Olympics), and others. Note: Rangers traded Artemi Panarin to LA on Feb. 4, removing their leading scorer.
- Defense: Kris Letang (PIT, recently returned from foot fracture) anchors a mobile group vs. Adam Fox (NYR, back and expected to stabilize the blue line).
Special teams favor Pittsburgh slightly: ~25.9% PP vs. Rangers’ 22.7%; Penguins’ PK at ~84% vs. Rangers’ ~79.9-80%.
Series History (2025-26 Season)
Penguins lead the season series 2-1:
- Oct 7: PIT 3-0 @ NYR
- Oct 11: NYR 6-1 @ PIT
- Jan 31: PIT 6-5 vs. NYR
Pittsburgh has won 2 of the last 3 meetings and performs well on the road against New York historically in recent years.
Betting Trends
- Total: Recent PIT-NYR games have gone over in 3 of the last 4. Rangers’ home games often see inflated totals due to defensive issues. Lean Over 5.5/6.
- Other Trends: Pittsburgh 7-3 ATS last 10; Rangers 0-5 SU last 5. Penguins cover in 3 of last 5 vs. Rangers. Pittsburgh strong vs. Metropolitan foes (11-1-5).
Pittsburgh’s depth and momentum make them the clear side here despite the road venue and Crosby’s absence. The Rangers’ five-game skid, poor home record, and post-trade roster flux point to continued struggles. Expect a competitive but Penguins-controlled game, likely landing in the 6-7 total range.
Game Odds
Pittsburgh Penguins – 115
New York Rangers 5.5
Odds Courtesy of Sports Odds Direct as of Friday, February 27, 2026
