The Pittsburgh Penguins briefly held a wildcard playoff spot after a thrilling 3-2 overtime win against the Los Angeles Kings. However, a subsequent win by the Ottawa Senators pushed them back out of playoff contention.

Despite this setback, the Penguins improved their record to 14-14-5, thanks to players ending their scoring droughts. Notably, Matt Grzelcyk scored his first goal of the season, and Evgeni Malkin also found the net.

Rickard Rakell secured the victory with a game-winning goal in overtime, marking his 14th goal of the season. The Penguins' resilience against a strong Kings team sets a positive tone for their upcoming road trip.