Bruins vs Penguins: Game Preview, Projected Lines and Key Matchups

Bruins vs Penguins: Game Preview

Boston visits Pittsburgh for a matchup between two teams heading in different directions early in the season. The Bruins are first in the Atlantic Division at 11-4-1 with 23 points; the Penguins sit seventh in the Metropolitan Division at 5-8-2 with 12 points.

• When: 7 p.m. Eastern, November 5, 2026
• Where to watch: Sportsnet Pittsburgh and NESN; out-of-market streaming on ESPN+

Boston Bruins: Form and Players to Watch

Boston has won two consecutive games, including a 3-2 shootout victory over Vegas on Monday. The Bruins have gone 9-2-1 across their last 12, outscoring opponents 48-27 in that span. Their strong start has been supported by steady availability: 15 of the team’s 18 skaters had appeared in at least 15 of its first 16 games.

Rookie James Hagens has two goals and three assists over his last five games, and scored against Vegas while playing a season-high 17:27. Jeremy Swayman is the established No. 1 option in goal, while Michael DiPietro has provided depth after years in the AHL.

Projected Bruins lineup

• Forwards: JJ Peterka – Pavel Zacha – David Pastrnak; Marat Khusnutdinov – Fraser Minten – Morgan Geekie; Casey Mittelstadt – Elias Lindholm – James Hagens; Tanner Jeannot – Sean Kuraly – Mark Kastelic
• Defense: Hampus Lindholm – Charlie McAvoy; Nikita Zadorov – Will Borgen; Frederic Brunet – Mason Lohrei
• Goalies: Jeremy Swayman and Michael DiPietro

Sean Kuraly appeared set to return after missing the previous game with a minor injury. Frederic Brunet also looked ready to rejoin the blue line, while Matthew Poitras was not expected to play. Connor Clifton was listed as a potential scratch.

Pittsburgh Penguins: Lineup Notes and Key Storylines

The Penguins are hoping Malkin will return to the lineup. If he does, either Ville Koivunen or Andrei Kuzmenko could come out after sharing time on the third line in practice. Pittsburgh’s defensive group was expected to remain unchanged from Tuesday’s game.

Projected Penguins lineup

• Forwards: Tommy Novak – Sidney Crosby – Rickard Rakell; Egor Chinakhov – Ben Kindel – Evgeni Malkin; Ville Koivunen – Hendrix Lapierre – Justin Brazeau; Connor Dewar – Blake Lizotte – Nick Robertson
• Defense: Sam Girard – Erik Karlsson; Spencer Stastney – Kaeden Korczak; Declan Carlile – Kris Letang
• Goalies: Arturs Silovs and Sergei Murashov

Ryan Graves, Trevor van Riemsdyk, Elmer Soderblom and Bryan Rust were listed on injured reserve. Sidney Crosby was one point away from moving past Marcel Dionne into sole possession of sixth place on the NHL’s all-time scoring list.

Key Matchup: Can Pittsburgh Contain Boston?

The Bruins have been among the league’s strongest teams at both ends of the ice, ranking in the top 10 in expected goals for and against. Their five-on-five goal differential stood at 38-20, a 65.5% share that led the NHL at the time of the preview. David Pastrnak’s ability to create and finish chances adds another major challenge for Pittsburgh.

Novak is one Penguin to watch: he had four points, including three goals, in his previous five games against Boston, and recorded two points in the teams’ last meeting on March 8, 2026. He also scored and assisted against Vegas in Pittsburgh’s most recent game.

Key question: Can the Penguins match the pace and defensive structure of one of the league’s best early-season teams? Boston’s form makes this a demanding test, especially if Pittsburgh cannot limit quality chances.

What Comes Next

After this game, Pittsburgh heads to California for three road contests: Los Angeles on Saturday, Anaheim on Sunday and San Jose next Wednesday. The teams are scheduled to meet again in Boston on March 6, followed by a March 11 game in Pittsburgh.