The Pittsburgh Penguins are on the road for the next three games and have a chance to damage the Eastern Conference playoff race significantly.
On Sunday, they visit the reigning Stanley Cup champions, the Florida Panthers. The Panthers are tied with the Toronto Maple Leafs atop the Atlantic Division, with each team collecting 42 wins and 87 points.
The Panthers and Maple Leafs are fighting for the divisional crown and chasing the second seed in the playoff race, with a chance to play the top-ranked wildcard team.
Penguins: Sidney Crosby's Chase Of Wayne Gretzky's NHL Point-Per-Game RecordPittsburgh Penguins captain Sidney Crosby is on pace to break a Wayne Gretzky record many people thought would never fall; most seasons (19) averaging a point-per-game average.
Surprisingly, Pittsburgh and Florida have played one-goal games each time they've met, so if the Penguins continue to play competitively as they have in their last five games, there's a chance they muck up the Panthers' plans, at least for one night.
However, another team will intently watch Sunday's contest, the Tampa Bay Lightning, who sit third in the Atlantic Division with 85 points. They are next on the Penguins' schedule and would appreciate a black-and-gold victory on the weekend.
The Lightning will look for a sweep when these two teams meet on Tuesday night. They have won all three previous meetings, including two in overtime. Thus far, they have outscored the Penguins by a 14-9 margin.
If Pittsburgh can sweep the Florida leg of their road trip, they are helping the Ottawa Senators, who are 7-2-1 in their last ten games and are only six points behind the Lighting, with each club playing 69 games.
Penguins Players Still Chasing Milestones In Final Month Of 2024-25 SeasonThe Pittsburgh Penguins only have 11 games left in their 2024-25 season. Although this year's club most likely won't qualify for the Stanley Cup playoffs, many players in the lineup still have milestones to play for.
Pittsburgh will wrap up their three-game road trip against the Buffalo Sabres, who are just chilling in the basement of the Eastern Conference and have the fourth-best odds to win the top pick in the 2025 Draft.
These two clubs haven't met since goalie Alex Nedeljkovic scored into an empty net on Jan. 17. The Sabres are one of four teams the Penguins remain undefeated against. With another win on Thursday, Pittsburgh could sweep the season series 3-0-0.