Carolina Hurricanes vs. Pittsburgh PenguinsDec 30, 2025

FinalTuesday, Dec 30, 2025· PPG Paints Arena

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Goals	1	2	3	T		Shots	1	2	3	T
CAR	0	1	0	1		CAR	10	10	8	28
PIT	3	2	0	5		PIT	13	8	7	28

: CAR 64PIT 61
: CAR 1.87PIT 2.95
PP goals: CAR 0PIT 1
Hits: CAR 21PIT 15
Blocks: CAR 15PIT 19
PIM: CAR 4PIT 0
: CAR 47%PIT 53%

Fantasy takeaways

Generated from the play-by-play, shifts and season context. No opinions, just what changed.

Pittsburgh Penguins rout Carolina Hurricanes 5–1

Pittsburgh Penguins beat Carolina Hurricanes 5–1 at home. Anthony Mantha (PIT) led the scoring with 2G 0A. PIT's first power-play unit (Crosby, Karlsson, Rust, Rakell and Mantha) scored 1 power-play goal on 3 attempts in 1:29 together.

Points
Anthony Mantha had two goals (2 points) on 3 shots in 14:23.Mantha
Points
Justin Brazeau had a goal and an assist (2 points) on 3 shots in 13:48.Brazeau
Points
Tommy Novak had a goal and an assist (2 points) on 2 shots in 14:39.Novak
Points
Bryan Rust had 2 assists (2 points) on 1 shot in 17:04.Rust
Points
Erik Karlsson had 2 assists (2 points) on 1 shot in 19:40.Karlsson
PP1
PIT's first power-play unit (Crosby, Karlsson, Rust, Rakell and Mantha) scored 1 power-play goal on 3 attempts in 1:29 together.Crosby Karlsson Rust Rakell Mantha
Luck
PIT scored 5 goals on 2.95 expected goals (61 attempts), finishing well above its chances.
Usage
Eric Robinson (CAR) played 18:06, +6:46 up on his 11:20 season average over 66 games.Robinson

Shot map

Both teams on one rink, filtered by strength and period.

Shot map

Every attempt, sized by expected goals. Goals are rings, shots on goal dots, misses hollow, blocks crosses.

Strength

Period

Team

← CAR attacks left (bottom on phones)PIT attacks right (top on phones) →

PIT
CAR
Goal
Shot on goal
Missed
Blocked

Showing 125 of 125 attempts · PIT 61 · CAR 64

Game flow

Cumulative expected goals and shot attempts, with power plays shaded and goals marked.

Cumulative shot attempts

PIT
CAR
Goal
Power play (shaded)

Pressure Index

PIT pressure
CAR pressure
Goal
Control (|PI| > 0.25)

: descriptive only, the team with more pressure scored the next goal about half the time. In control: CAR 23% of the game, PIT 35%.

Shift chart

Every shift, grouped by line and pair; bars are coloured by strength state. Click a player to highlight.

Shifts

PIT

CAR

goals / penalties

Even strength
Power play
Penalty kill
Goal
Penalty

Head-to-head matchups

PIT skaters (rows) against CAR skaters (columns) at 5v5. Square size is time together; colour is xGF% from the PIT side.

Matchup matrix

PIT xGF% 4060square size = TOI together · blank = under 1:00

Sequence card

5-on-5 possession-chain numbers from the sequence engine (Draw Equity and control cover all situations).

Sequence card
Stat	CAR	PIT
	74	68
	1.95	2.98
	1.92	2.88
	13	16
	4	5
	23	34
	−0.016	+0.016
	23%	35%

Definitions: sequence xG, transition attempts, Draw Equity, control and the Pressure Index.

Lines used

Detected from who actually shared the ice, with time together. Percentages are the unit's share of shot attempts.

Carolina Hurricanes

L1Aho – Robinson – Svechnikov
9:1139% CF
L2Staal – Martinook – Carrier
7:5359% CF
L3Ehlers – Kotkaniemi – Blake
7:2467% CF
L4Hall – Jankowski – Stankoven
5:0670% CF
D1Walker – Nikishin
17:5345% CF
D2Chatfield – Miller
17:3656% CF
D3Reilly – Nystrom
14:5272% CF

PK1FStaal – Martinook
0:57
PK2FAho – Robinson
0:28
PK1DWalker – Nikishin
1:25
PK2DChatfield – Miller
0:42

Current CAR line combinations →

Pittsburgh Penguins

L1Crosby – Rust – Rakell
14:4546% CF
L2Acciari – Dewar – Lizotte
13:2356% CF
L3Mantha – Novak – Brazeau
11:2652% CF
L4Koivunen – McGroarty – Kindel
11:2032% CF
D1Letang – Kulak
20:5834% CF
D2Karlsson – Wotherspoon
17:1562% CF
D3Shea – St. Ivany
16:5547% CF

PP1Crosby – Karlsson – Rust – Rakell – Mantha
1:29100% CF
PP2Letang – Novak – Brazeau – Koivunen – Kindel
0:5950% CF

Current PIT line combinations →

Scoring summary

Every goal with the skaters on the ice for it.

1st period

3:46
PITSidney Crosby (Rickard Rakell, Bryan Rust)snap0.13 xG
CAR: Staal, Martinook, Carrier, Miller, NikishinPIT: Crosby, Karlsson, Rust, Rakell, Wotherspoon
CAR 0 – 1 PIT
16:07
PITJustin Brazeau (Brett Kulak)backhand0.15 xG
CAR: Aho, Chatfield, Robinson, Miller, SvechnikovPIT: Crosby, Karlsson, Kulak, Mantha, Brazeau
CAR 0 – 2 PIT
17:12
PITAnthony ManthaPP (Bryan Rust, Erik Karlsson)wrist0.23 xG
CAR: Staal, Martinook, Walker, NikishinPIT: Crosby, Karlsson, Rust, Rakell, Mantha
CAR 0 – 3 PIT

2nd period

15:08
PITTommy Novak (Parker Wotherspoon, Erik Karlsson)wrist0.03 xG
CAR: Jankowski, Martinook, Carrier, Walker, NikishinPIT: Karlsson, Mantha, Novak, Wotherspoon, Acciari
CAR 0 – 4 PIT
18:08
PITAnthony Mantha (Justin Brazeau, Tommy Novak)tip-in0.11 xG
CAR: Miller, Kotkaniemi, Svechnikov, Blake, NystromPIT: Karlsson, Mantha, Novak, Wotherspoon, Brazeau
CAR 0 – 5 PIT
18:25
CARMark Jankowski (Joel Nystrom, Mike Reilly)wrist0.10 xG
CAR: Reilly, Jankowski, Martinook, Carrier, NystromPIT: Karlsson, Mantha, Novak, Wotherspoon, Brazeau
CAR 1 – 5 PIT

Box score

Skaters grouped by the line they played on; CF% is the 5v5 share of shot attempts while on the ice.

Carolina Hurricanes

CAR skaters
Skater	Line	G	A	P	+/-			Hits	Blk	PIM		PP	SH
Eric Robinson L	L1	0	0	0	-1	3	0.46	3	1	0	18:06	—	—	46	34
Sebastian Aho C	L1	0	0	0	-1	2	0.15	0	0	0	13:52	—	—	45	34
Andrei Svechnikov R	L1	0	0	0	-2	3	0.09	1	0	0	13:50	—	—	41	34
William Carrier L	L2	0	0	0	-1	1	0.03	6	0	0	14:45	—	—	56	35
Jordan Staal C	L2	0	0	0	-1	1	0.03	1	1	0	12:33	—	—	56	13
Jordan Martinook L	L2	0	0	0	-1	0	0.00	1	0	0	12:31	—	—	52	30
Jesperi Kotkaniemi C	L3	0	0	0	-1	3	0.15	2	1	0	17:13	—	—	58	45
Nikolaj Ehlers L	L3	0	0	0	0	1	0.12	0	0	0	16:28	—	—	59	53
Jackson Blake R	L3	0	0	0	-1	0	0.00	0	1	2	15:28	—	—	56	49
Taylor Hall L	L4	0	0	0	0	1	0.05	0	1	0	14:53	—	—	63	56
Logan Stankoven C	L4	0	0	0	0	2	0.14	0	0	0	14:22	—	—	48	38
Mark Jankowski L	L4	1	0	1	0	2	0.32	0	1	0	13:29	—	—	57	62
Alexander Nikishin D	D1	0	0	0	-2	0	0.00	2	2	0	22:39	—	—	40	33
Sean Walker D	D1	0	0	0	-1	4	0.17	0	1	0	20:53	—	—	44	38
K'Andre Miller D	D2	0	0	0	-3	1	0.01	1	2	2	21:28	—	—	51	37
Jalen Chatfield D	D2	0	0	0	-1	1	0.00	2	1	0	19:17	—	—	57	42
Joel Nystrom D	D3	0	1	1	0	1	0.01	0	2	0	17:54	—	—	63	58
Mike Reilly D	D3	0	1	1	+1	2	0.14	2	1	0	17:47	—	—	66	51

CAR goalies
Goalie	Dec	SA	SV	GA			TOI
Frederik Andersen(start)	L	28	23	5	.821	2.95	60:00

Pittsburgh Penguins

PIT skaters
Skater	Line	G	A	P	+/-			Hits	Blk		PP	SH
Sidney Crosby C	L1	1	0	1	+2	3	0.46	0	2	18:22	—	—	48	50
Rickard Rakell R	L1	0	1	1	+1	1	0.06	2	0	17:07	—	—	49	45
Bryan Rust R	L1	0	2	2	+1	1	0.19	0	1	17:04	—	—	46	45
Noel Acciari C	L2	0	0	0	+1	3	0.21	0	3	16:28	—	—	50	67
Connor Dewar C	L2	0	0	0	0	2	0.28	1	2	15:44	—	—	57	68
Blake Lizotte C	L2	0	0	0	0	1	0.09	1	0	14:21	—	—	56	67
Tommy Novak C	L3	1	1	2	+1	2	0.08	0	1	14:39	—	—	48	70
Anthony Mantha R	L3	2	0	2	+2	3	0.39	0	0	14:23	—	—	54	73
Justin Brazeau R	L3	1	1	2	+1	3	0.36	1	1	13:48	—	—	52	73
Ville Koivunen R	L4	0	0	0	0	2	0.24	0	1	14:18	—	—	40	61
Ben Kindel C	L4	0	0	0	0	0	0.00	0	0	13:38	—	—	40	61
Rutger McGroarty R	L4	0	0	0	0	1	0.20	0	2	12:16	—	—	32	59
Kris Letang D	D1	0	0	0	0	2	0.06	2	1	22:32	—	—	36	50
Brett Kulak D	D1	0	1	1	+1	0	0.00	0	1	21:58	—	—	36	54
Erik Karlsson D	D2	0	2	2	+3	1	0.08	0	1	19:40	—	—	62	64
Parker Wotherspoon D	D2	0	1	1	+2	2	0.01	2	0	18:03	—	—	63	60
Jack St. Ivany D	D3	0	0	0	0	0	0.02	4	3	18:06	—	—	47	71
Ryan Shea D	D3	0	0	0	0	1	0.21	2	0	17:33	—	—	46	71

PIT goalies
Goalie	Dec	SA	SV	GA			TOI
Stuart Skinner(start)	W	28	27	1	.964	1.87	60:00

Goal anatomy

Animated replays from NHL EDGE tracking, with the entry, passes and shot speed for each goal.

Sidney Crosby (PIT) 1st 3:46 · assists Rickard Rakell, Bryan Rust · Point shot · 11.0 mph shot.

Sidney Crosby · 1st 3:46 · PIT

Play: point-shot
Passes: 1
Shot: 11.0 mph
Distance: 80 ft

Watch on NHL.com → · Tracking-derived via NHL EDGE

Justin Brazeau · 1st 16:07 · PIT

Play: rush
Entry: pass
Odd man: No
Passes: 1
Shot: 18.0 mph
Distance: 44 ft
Entry to goal: 2.4 s

Watch on NHL.com → · Tracking-derived via NHL EDGE

Anthony Mantha · 1st 17:12 · PIT PP

Play: rebound
Entry: carry
Odd man: 5-on-4
Passes: 3 (royal road)
Shot: 10.1 mph
Distance: 6 ft
Entry to goal: 5.9 s
Type: rebound

Watch on NHL.com → · Tracking-derived via NHL EDGE

Tommy Novak · 2nd 15:08 · PIT

Play: rush
Entry: carry
Odd man: No
Passes: 3
Shot: 62.3 mph
Distance: 53 ft
Entry to goal: 2.6 s

Watch on NHL.com → · Tracking-derived via NHL EDGE

Anthony Mantha · 2nd 18:08 · PIT

Play: deflection
Entry: pass
Odd man: No
Passes: 0
Shot: 37.8 mph
Distance: 10 ft
Entry to goal: 3.4 s
Type: deflection

Watch on NHL.com → · Tracking-derived via NHL EDGE

Methodology

Shot locations come from the NHL play-by-play, normalised so each shooter attacks the same way, then flipped so the home team attacks right. On-ice stats and lines come from the shift charts: a unit is the exact set of skaters sharing the ice, and CF% is the share of all shot attempts while they were out. Head-to-head cells are 5v5 time against each opponent. Expected goals and the Pressure Index appear as their models are released.