Penguins Clinch Playoff Spot, End Three-Year Drought Tonight
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NEWARK, N.J. The Pittsburgh Penguins clinched a playoff berth Thursday with a 5-2 victory over the New Jersey Devils at the Prudential Center, securing their first postseason appearance since 2022; Egor Chinakhov recorded three points while Evgeni Malkin, Sidney Crosby and Erik Karlsson added multi-point performances.
Pittsburgh sits second in the Metropolitan Division and will likely face the Philadelphia Flyers, Columbus Blue Jackets or New York Islanders in the first round; Stuart Skinner, who returned to practice Tuesday after an eye injury, made 19 saves and Bryan Rust scored his 29th goal of the season.
More context
Timeline
- 1. Penguins sustained a 16-season playoff streak historically, with Stanley Cups in 2009, 2016 and 2017.
- 2. Early-season expectations were low; BetMGM listed Pittsburgh as a 6-1 long shot before opening night.
- 3. December: team endured an eight-game skid and executed trades that added Egor Chinakhov and Stuart Skinner.
- 4. Since March 30 the Penguins won five of six games, improving postseason positioning.
- 5. Thursday at Prudential Center Pittsburgh beat New Jersey 5-2 to clinch a playoff berth, first since 2022.
Why it matters
This is a comeback story for the Penguins, a team many wrote off early in the season. If you're a fan, it's a reminder that perseverance pays off. If you're a sports bettor, it's a lesson in unpredictability. Check out the playoff schedule and consider a friendly wager.
Sources
JQJO Editorial Desk · Human reviewed · AI assisted. Report a correction.
