1) Evgeni Malkin registered his 14th career hat trick yesterday for his first three-goal game since March 27, 2022 versus Detroit. Malkin (age 39) became the oldest player in Penguins history to record a hat trick. The only other to record a hat trick at age 38 or older was Mark Recchi (2 at age 38). His 14 hat tricks are tied with Sidney Crosby for the second most in Penguins history behind Mario Lemieux’s 40.

2) Defenseman Sam Girard has four points (4A) and is plus-6 in his last four games. Only Devon Toews (+8) has a better plus/minus than Girard since Mar. 30.

3) Since March 21, no player in the league has more goals than Rickard Rakell (9).

4) Elmer Soderblom has five points (2G-3A) over his last five games. He has seven points (3G-4A) in 15 games with Pittsburgh after recording three points (2G-1A) over 39 games with Detroit this year.

5) Egor Chinakhov has 17 points (7G-10A) over his last 16 games and has picked up 31 points (17G-14A) in 39 games since joining the Penguins. Since his Penguins debut on Jan. 1, only Rickard Rakell (18) has more goals than him on the team.

POINT MACHINES

Sidney Crosby leads the Penguins with 69 points (28G-41A) in 65 games. Crosby, who can play in a maximum of 70 games this season, is one point shy of ensuring he will average a point per game or better for an NHL-record 21st season.

Crosby’s long-time teammate, Evgeni Malkin, also enters tonight’s game one point shy of becoming just the fourth player in NHL history with 16 or more point-per-game seasons. Malkin has picked up 57 points (18G-39A) in 53 games, and can play in a maximum of 58 games this year.

GOALS GALORE

The Penguins have been one of the NHL’s highest scoring teams this season as their 272 goals this year rank third in the league.

The team’s 272 goals are the most the team has scored since the 2016-17 campaign (278) despite still having five games remaining in the regular season.

Pittsburgh is on pace to have the highest scoring team in the Sidney Crosby Era (2005-Present) on a goals-per-game basis.

RUST 500

Forward Bryan Rust enters tonight’s game with points in 16 of his last 19 games (8G-14A) and is just one point shy of becoming the 11th player in franchise history to reach 500 points.

Rust is also looking to become just the 22nd active American-born player to accumulate 500 points.

POINT STREAKIN’

Rickard Rakell has points in 15 of his last 16 games (11G-10A) and is currently on a seven-game point streak (8G-3A). He is tied for the longest active point streak in the NHL.

Rakell also has goals in four-straight games (5G) and six of his last seven games (8G) overall. His four-game goal-scoring streak is tied for the longest active goal streak in the NHL.

MANTHA’S CAREER YEAR

Forward Anthony Mantha enters tonight’s game with points in 11 of his last 14 games (10G-6A) and has set career highs across the board in goals (31), assists (30) and points (61). During the Sidney Crosby Era (2005-Present), only two players on Pittsburgh have scored more goals than Mantha in their first season with the team.

SILKY SWEDE

Erik Karlsson has 29 points (10G-19A) in the last 20 games. He leads all defensemen in the NHL in points in that span.

DIRTY THIRTY

Sidney Crosby comes into tonight’s game two goals shy of reaching the 30-goal mark for the 14th time in his career and the fifth-consecutive season. Only six players in NHL history have more 30-goal seasons than him currently and only Alex Ovechkin has more among active players (20).

CAT CALLIN’

Pittsburgh’s duo of Sidney Crosby (32G-41A-73PTS) and Evgeni Malkin (22G-36A-58PTS) rank third and fourth among all active skaters in points against the Panthers, respectively. The Penguins have four of the top-13 point scorers against Florida among active players.