Pregame analysis and predictions of the Pittsburgh Penguins vs. Washington Capitals NHL game to be played on January 18, 2025 on ESPN.

The Pittsburgh Penguins are coming off a 5-2 win last night against a streaky Buffalo Sabres club. The game saw Bryan Rust and Rickard Rakell continue their hot run since they were left off their national teams for the 4 Nations Face-Off tournament.

As they get ready to meet the Pittsburgh Penguins (18-20-8) on Saturday, January 18 at Capital One Arena, with the puck dropping at 7:00 PM ET, the Washington Capitals (30-10-5) have four players currently listed on the injury report.

The Washington Capitals will host their fifth Hockey Talks Mental Health Awareness Game in partnership with MedStar Health on Saturday, Jan. 18

The Pittsburgh Penguins have one of the oldest teams in the National Hockey League. Their most important players — guys like Sidney Crosby and Kris Letang, Evgeni Malkin and Erik Karlsson — generally are their oldest.

The Penguins (44 points) are 18-20-8, ranking sixth in the Metropolitan Division and seventh in the Eastern Conference wild-card race. They trail the Columbus Blue Jackets, owners of the second wild-card berth, by four points in the standings.

In a game that kicked off a critical seven-game road trip across the country as the Pittsburgh Penguins try to climb back into a playoff spot, they rode an efficient power play and strong goaltending on Friday while shedding some bad habits to down the Buffalo Sabres 5-2.

In the Penguins' 5-2 win in Buffalo, Nedeljkovic became the first goalie in NHL history to notch a goal and an assist in a single game.

Pittsburgh's game at Washington on Saturday night will be the 71st regular-season meeting of the team's superstar captains, the Penguins' Sidney Crosby and the Capitals' Alex Ovechkin.

Washington Capitals (30-10-5, 65 points, 1st place Metropolitan Division) When: 7:00 p.m. ET How to Watch: Broadcasting on Sportsnet Pittsburgh and Monumental in the local markets, streaming on ESPN+ Pens’ Path Ahead: The Pens are headed out West.

Pittsburgh’s game at Washington on Saturday night will be the 71st regular-season meeting of the team’s superstar captains, the Penguins’ Sidney Crosby and the Capitals’ Alex Ovechkin. The pair have developed an intense rivalry and at the same time become good friends since both began their NHL careers in 2005-06.