Penguins vs Panthers: Live Score, Highlights & Must-See Moments from Tonight’s NHL Showdown

Lead-off showdown in Sunrise: the Pittsburgh Penguins travel to Amerant Bank Arena tonight to face the Florida Panthers in a cross-conference battle that could foreshadow playoff stakes. Puck drop is set for 7 p.m. ET, and both clubs enter October 23 riding very different waves of momentum. Latest form • Penguins (5-2-0) have ripped off three straight wins behind a potent first line anchored by Sidney Crosby (4 G, 7 A). • Panthers (4-4-0) split a tough four-game road trip but looked sharper after Aleksander Barkov’s return from illness on Tuesday. Key storylines to watch 1. Power-play duel: Pittsburgh ranks 3rd in the NHL at 34.8 %, while Florida’s penalty kill sits 30th. If the Panthers can’t stay disciplined, the visitors’ man-advantage could tilt the ice early. 2. Goaltending chess match: Coach Paul Maurice confirmed Sergei Bobrovsky gets the crease; Mike Sullivan counters with Tristan Jarry, who owns a .925 SV% through his first six starts. 3. Blue-line boosts: Florida activates Aaron Ekblad off LTIR; Pittsburgh recalls youngster Owen Pickering after Ryan Graves (upper body) was ruled out. Projected lines Penguins: Guentzel – Crosby – Rakell | Smith – Malkin – Rust | O’Connor – Lars Eller – Acciari | Nieto – Carter – Puljujärvi Panthers: Verhaeghe – Barkov – Tkachuk | Luostarinen – Bennett – Reinhart | Rodrigues – Lundell – Tarasenko | Cousins – Stenlund – Okposo Injury report • PIT: Graves (day-to-day), Joseph (illness, game-time decision). • FLA: Montour (shoulder) remains week-to-week; Ekblad returns tonight. Betting & fantasy angles Sportsbooks opened Florida as a slight –115 home favorite with a 6.5-goal total. Given Pittsburgh’s lethal PP and Florida’s aggressive forecheck, over bettors see value. Daily-fantasy managers should monitor Barkov vs. Crosby faceoffs; the matchup historically suppresses shot volume for both centers, pushing value to wingers like Matthew Tkachuk and Jake Guentzel. How to watch & stream • TV: Scripps Sports (Miami), SportsNet-PIT, ESPN+ out-of-market. • Streaming: NHL Power Play on ESPN+, Fubo, Sling Blue with sports add-on. Historical head-to-head The Penguins swept last season’s two-game set, outscoring Florida 9-4. Crosby recorded six points, while Bobrovsky was pulled in the January tilt. Still, the Panthers own a 7-2-1 record in their last ten home dates vs. Pittsburgh, making tonight a true rubber match of contrasting narratives. What’s at stake Early season standings matter in a crowded Eastern Conference. Two points tonight could vault Pittsburgh within reach of the Metropolitan lead, while Florida is eager to climb above .500 before a three-game West Coast trip. Bottom line Expect a high-tempo contest fueled by star power, special-teams drama and October urgency. Whether it’s Crosby’s craft or Barkov’s two-way brilliance, the Penguins vs Panthers rivalry often delivers must-watch hockey—and tonight should be no exception.