Islanders, Penguins Battle for Second Place in Metro Division

New York and Pittsburgh face off with one point separating them in the standings.

Mar. 29, 2026 at 8:24pm

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A fractured, cubist-style painting depicting the action and movement of a hockey game between the New York Islanders and Pittsburgh Penguins, with the players and ice surface broken down into overlapping geometric shapes and planes of color.The Islanders and Penguins clash in a pivotal Metropolitan Division showdown, with both teams fighting for playoff positioning.Today in Pittsburgh

The New York Islanders and Pittsburgh Penguins will square off in a crucial Metropolitan Division matchup with second place on the line. The Islanders are coming off a comeback win over the Florida Panthers, while the Penguins have struggled recently without injured stars Sidney Crosby and Evgeni Malkin. Both teams are fighting for playoff positioning down the stretch.

Why it matters

This game has major implications for the playoff race in the Metropolitan Division. The Islanders and Penguins are separated by just one point, so the winner will gain an advantage in the race for second place and home-ice advantage in the first round of the playoffs.

The details

The Islanders erased a two-goal deficit against the Panthers on Saturday, scoring five unanswered goals in the second period to win 5-2. Brayden Schenn, acquired at the trade deadline, had a three-point game, while rookie defenseman Matthew Schaefer tied the team record for points by a rookie blueliner. The Penguins, meanwhile, have lost three of their last four games, including a 6-3 defeat to the Dallas Stars on Sunday. Pittsburgh surrendered leads of 1-0 and 2-1 in that game, and they are hoping to get Crosby and Malkin back from injury soon to boost their offense.

  • The Islanders and Penguins will face off on Monday, March 29, 2026.
  • The Islanders are coming off a win over the Panthers on Saturday, March 27, 2026.
  • The Penguins lost to the Stars on Sunday, March 28, 2026.

The players

Bo Horvat

An Islanders forward who said the remaining games are 'playoff games' and the team needs all the wins they can get.

Brayden Schenn

An Islanders forward acquired at the trade deadline who scored a goal and had three points in Saturday's win over the Panthers.

Matthew Schaefer

An Islanders rookie defenseman who tied the team record for points by a rookie blueliner with 56.

Marc Gatcomb

An Islanders player who emerged to snap a 36-game goal drought in Saturday's comeback win.

Bryan Rust

A Penguins forward who said the team had a great start against the Stars but got into penalty trouble, which hurt their momentum.

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What they’re saying

“The rest of the games are playoff games. They're big games for us, big points, and we need all the wins we can get.”

— Bo Horvat, Islanders forward

“We just keep sticking to the gameplan. We've been great with comebacks and stuff like that. We've been staying resilient. I think the main focus was just getting pucks on net. We got some good bounces there, and they just started going in.”

— Marc Gatcomb, Islanders player

“We had a great start. I thought we were in their face. We had some really good shifts. Got into penalty trouble. I think that hurt us. I don't think we did a very good job of playing hard and simple to get that momentum back on our side.”

— Bryan Rust, Penguins forward

What’s next

The Penguins are hoping to get injured stars Sidney Crosby and Evgeni Malkin back in the lineup soon to boost their offense and playoff push.

The takeaway

This game between the Islanders and Penguins is a crucial battle for second place in the Metropolitan Division, with major playoff implications. Both teams are fighting for positioning, and the winner will gain an advantage in the race for home-ice advantage in the first round.