The Pittsburgh Penguins will play seven times in April, with three home contests and four on the road. They will skate against three Eastern Conference teams and four from the West, including the campaign’s final home-and-home series against the Chicago Blackhawks.
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These seven games will be critical to the Penguins’ hopes of a playoff spot. However, here are three headline matchups that could produce some entertaining hockey during the final stretch of the regular season.
3. April 7 & 8 vs. Chicago Blackhawks
For years, the storylines on most nights involved Sidney Crosby vs. other superstars. Whether it’s been Alex Ovechkin or Connor McDavid, almost every other team’s star player has been compared to Crosby.
When the Penguins face off against the Chicago Blackhawks, all the attention turns to 19-year-old Connor Bedard, a former first-overall pick like the Penguins captain.
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Thus far, Bedard has lived up to his end of the hype with two assists in two contests. Meanwhile, Chicago is 1-1 against Pittsburgh in the Bedard era, with Crosby outscoring his counterpart with three goals in the two meetings.
2. April 13 vs. Boston Bruins
Last year, when the Penguins met the Boston Bruins, the two powerhouse teams almost broke the scoreboard in all three contests. Whether the scores were 6-5, 5-1, or 6-4, it was a rough night to be a goalie, but wow, these two clubs put on a show!
Heading into the final days of the regular season, the Bruins will visit PPG Paints Arena in what could be a make-or-break-it game. Despite their hot streak to wind down the 2023-24 campaign, a loss to Boston on April 13 significantly dented Pittsburgh’s playoff hopes, which never came to fruition.
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Fast-forward 365 days, and hockey fans may find themselves in the same spot: scoreboard-watching and praying that their favorite team pulls out a victory, thus securing a playoff berth.
1. April 17 vs. Washington Capitals
The 2024-25 season will be remembered for milestones in Pittsburgh and around the league. As Crosby approaches 600 goals and 1,600 points, his longtime rival, Ovechkin, is closing in on the all-time goal record of 894.
Although the Russian sniper is a long shot to tie or break the record this season since he needs 41 goals, stranger things have happened. Ultimately, Ovechkin could be sitting on 40 goals heading into the season finale on April 17 and ties the record on PPG Paints Arena ice.
Crosby would celebrate the moment as classy as he is but would most likely prefer to see it happen elsewhere. Never mind that the Capitals snuck into the postseason last season; this year, the tables could be reversed, with Pittsburgh grabbing the final wild-card spot on the season’s final day.
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