The Pittsburgh Penguins are opening their 2023-24 regular season against the Chicago Blackhawks on Tuesday, October 10, at 8:00 PM exclusively on ESPN. This could be our first look at Connor Bedard verses Sidney Crosby, which is worth noting.
A pivotal period to watch is from October 24 to 30th. The Penguins will be playing a season-long four-game homestand, including matchups against Dallas (October 24), Colorado (October 26), Ottawa (October 28), and Anaheim (October 30). Another similar four-game homestand will take place from February 18-25 against Los Angeles (February 18), NY Islanders (February 20), Montreal (February 22), and Philadelphia (February 25).
Starting October 14, with a game against the Calgary Flames, the Penguins will play 18 weekend home games. This includes games on either Friday night (1), Saturday (11), or Sunday (6), accounting for 44% of all home games. This means there will be plenty of weekend excitement for Penguins fans.
See you soon, hockey fans. pic.twitter.com/6AsSDAywop
— Pittsburgh Penguins (@penguins) June 27, 2023
Here are some key Pittsburgh Penguins dates you should circle on your calendar:
- November 19 vs. Vegas: The Penguins host the defending Stanley Cup champion Vegas Golden Knights in their only visit to PPG Paints Arena.
- November 22 vs. NY Rangers: The Penguins Metropolitan Division rival makes its first two trips to PPG Paints Arena for Pittsburgh’s annual game on the night before Thanksgiving.
- December 2 vs. Philadelphia: It’s the Battle of Pennsylvania as the Penguins host their cross-state rivals in a Saturday night matchup for their first two visits to Pittsburgh.
- January 2 vs. Washington: Pittsburgh begins the new year with a Tuesday night tilt against Alex Ovechkin and the Washington Capitals.
- March 10 vs. Edmonton: 2022-23 Art Ross Trophy winner Connor McDavid and the Edmonton Oilers make their only trip to Pittsburgh for a Sunday afternoon matchup.
In the 2023-24 season, the Penguins have 12 sets of back-to-back games, beginning Oct. 13-14 in Washington and at home against Calgary, respectively. Pittsburgh will face each Metropolitan Division opponent four times (two home/two road), each Western Conference opponent twice (one home/one road), and each Atlantic Division opponent three times.
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The lone exception in the Metropolitan Division is that Pittsburgh only visits the NY Rangers once and only hosts New Jersey once. Half of the Atlantic Division foes visit Pittsburgh twice (Buffalo, Detroit, Florida, and Montreal), while half host the Penguins twice (Boston, Ottawa, Tampa Bay, and Toronto).
These are some key dates and matchups that every Pens fan should look forward to in the 2023-24 season. So, mark your calendars and prepare for an exciting Penguins hockey season!