The New York Rangers are preparing to play the Pittsburgh Penguins for the second time this season, with Saturday’s game marking their first visit to PPG Paints Arena in the current campaign. The matchup, scheduled for 7:00 PM ET, will be broadcast on MSG Network and ESPN 880 AM radio.
This game initiates the Rangers’ first of 12 back-to-back sets this season. The Rangers have a recent history of success against Pittsburgh, posting a 10-5-1 record in regular season games since 2021-22 and winning three of their last five encounters. The team has also won its last four road games against the Penguins.
Goaltender Igor Shesterkin continues to be a key player, with 22 career shutouts, which is eighth in franchise history and tied for second most among NHL goaltenders since 2020-21. The Rangers have also excelled on special teams, starting the season perfect on the penalty kill and ranking third in road penalty killing percentage (82.1%) since 2023-24.
J.T. Miller has made a significant impact since rejoining the Rangers on February 1, 2025, leading the team with 13 multi-point games over 34 appearances—a figure tied for second most in the league during that period. Artemi Panarin ranks fifth in NHL road points since 2021-22 with 198. After two games this season, New York is third in hits (62), blocked shots (33), and tied for third in takeaways (9).
There are several connections between the two clubs. Rangers head coach Mike Sullivan previously led Pittsburgh from December 2015 to April 2025, guiding them to back-to-back Stanley Cup championships and becoming their all-time wins leader with 409 victories. Assistant coaches David Quinn and Ty Hennes also spent time on Pittsburgh’s staff, while forward Vincent Trocheck is a Pittsburgh native who played youth hockey alongside J.T. Miller. Conor Sheary of New York won two Stanley Cups as a Penguin, and Penguins head coach Dan Muse and forward Kevin Hayes have past ties to New York.
On the road since 2021-22, New York ranks second in NHL points (208) and is tied for second in wins (95), holding a record of 95-52-18 away from home during that span.
J.T. Miller was named team captain on September 16, 2025. Last season, he tied for third among players taking at least 1,000 faceoffs with a percentage of 58.2%. Since his return to New York, Miller leads in assists (23), is second in goals (14) and points (37), and ranks third on the team with 81 hits.
Adam Fox has committed to raising funds for Tackle ALS this season by donating $1,023 per goal and $523 per assist to support research at Massachusetts General Hospital’s Sean M. Healey & AMG Center for ALS. “Fox welcomes all Rangers fans to join him in supporting the cause. For more information about Tackle ALS and how you can help, including making a donation, please visit https://tackleals.com/.” Fox became only the ninth defenseman in NHL history to record four consecutive seasons of at least 50 assists and one of eight Rangers defensemen with four or more seasons of at least ten goals.
Artemi Panarin achieved his fifth 80-point season with New York last year—tying Mark Messier’s franchise record—and surpassed Messier and Rod Gilbert with his fifth 50-assist campaign for second-most such seasons as a Ranger. He remains the only active undrafted player with at least 300 career goals and was first among Rangers skaters last season in goals (37), assists (52), points (89), power play goals (8), power play points (25), shots (235), and had points in over 72% of his games played.
Vincent Trocheck led all NHL skaters who took more than 1,000 faceoffs last season with a winning percentage of 59.3% and recorded six shorthanded goals—tied for second-most by a Ranger in one season—and ranked third league-wide for total faceoff wins (910). He was also one of only three Rangers since tracking began to win every faceoff taken when contesting at least thirteen draws in a game.
Will Cuylle’s physical presence continues as he has amassed 311 hits since last season—second most in the NHL—and set a new single-season hits record among Rangers since such statistics have been tracked beginning in 2005-06.
