Few predicted the Pittsburgh Penguins would win their first two games of the season. It’s too early to buy playoff tickets, and the Penguins are still in a transition period, but these two wins showed they can find success in 2025-2026. Their first two games of the season should be their blueprint for the future.
Penguins have proven they can win
No one is saying the Penguins will win the Stanley Cup, but through three games they haven’t been as bad as most predicted. In their season opener on October 7, Pittsburgh defeated the New York Rangers 3–0, and then defeated the New York Islanders 4–3 on October 9.
Last season, defense was one of the Penguins’ biggest problems. It’s still a concern, but they proved in their opener against the Rangers that they can play good team defense. They kept Rangers out and were well up front. Their zone exits were much better too.
The Rangers struggled to break the puck out of their own zone all game and couldn’t get their forecheck going. The Penguins spent all night clogging the passing lanes, and they didn’t give up much on the rush. It was the best they have defended in a few seasons.
Defenseman Erik Karlsson’s time in Pittsburgh was a mixed bag, though he put in a strong performance against the Rangers. He had good positional awareness throughout the game and his skating and puck control were exceptional. The Penguins outplayed New York and played well from start to finish.
Evgeni Malkin had a strong performance against both the Rangers and Islanders. He skated well and was good at creating chances. He has five points from three games.
The Penguins’ power play was on fire Thursday against the Islanders, with Rickard Rakell and Sidney Crosby both scoring power-play goals. The defense put in another strong performance and Karlsson once again led the way, skating well and finding separation in tight spaces. He was all over the offensive zone and showed a lot of confidence.
Newcomer Justin Brazeau had strong performances against the Rangers and Islanders with three goals, while rookies Ben Kindel and Harrison Brunicke also played well.
Will the Penguins keep winning?
New head coach Dan Muse had a good game plan this season. In their first two games, the Penguins applied pressure at the point of attack and never took their foot off the gas pedal. They didn’t overcomplicate things and played a simple, precise game.
Related: Penguins rookies shine in 4-3 win over Islanders
On October 11, the Penguins lost in their rematch against the Rangers, 6–1. Arturs Silovs was Pittsburgh’s starting goaltender and his inexperience was painfully apparent. He allowed at least one goal in each period and allowed New York to take control of the game with three goals in the second period.
The Penguins outscored the Rangers 9-4 in the first period, but their lack of attention to detail and inability to stay out of the penalty box cost them the game. Their goaltending situation is still a work in progress. Silovs performed well against New York in the first game, stopping all 25 shots he faced. However, in the rematch he showed that he still has a lot to learn.
Tristan Jarry, the Penguins’ starting goaltender, was in net against the Islanders and had a good overall performance. He conceded a few weak goals, but made some good saves in the third period. Jarry has struggled with consistency and has spent money time in the American Hockey League (AHL) worked on its problems last season. If the Penguins can figure out their goal situation, they could be on their way to a decent season.
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