SPORTS

Penguins Clinch Playoff Spot, End Three-Year Drought Tonight

PUBLISHED Apr 9, 2026, 11:22 PM ET

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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.

By Sarah Whitman | JQJO News

Timeline of Events

Penguins sustained a 16-season playoff streak historically, with Stanley Cups in 2009, 2016 and 2017.
Early-season expectations were low; BetMGM listed Pittsburgh as a 6-1 long shot before opening night.
December: team endured an eight-game skid and executed trades that added Egor Chinakhov and Stuart Skinner.
Since March 30 the Penguins won five of six games, improving postseason positioning.
Thursday at Prudential Center Pittsburgh beat New Jersey 5-2 to clinch a playoff berth, first since 2022.

News Intelligence

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.

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Who Benefited

The Pittsburgh Penguins organization, its players and local Pittsburgh businesses benefited from clinching the playoff spot through increased ticket demand, media attention and playoff-related revenue opportunities.

Who Impacted

The New Jersey Devils and their supporters faced an immediate competitive setback from the loss that allowed Pittsburgh to clinch a postseason berth, while rival teams lost a potential tiebreak opportunity.

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