Pittsburgh Penguins face all-too-familiar foe in Home Opener

Tyler Schultz, Deputy Sports Editor|October 4, 2018

PITTSBURGH, PA - MAY 7: Sydney Crosby skates away as the Washington Capitals celebrate after wining Game 6 of the Second Round of the Stanley Cup Playoffs between the Washington Capitals and the Pittsburgh Penguins at PPG Paints Arena on Monday, May 7, 2018. The Washington Capitals won 2-1 to advance to the next round.

Toni L. Sandys/The Washington Post via Getty Images)

PITTSBURGH, PA – MAY 7: Sydney Crosby skates away as the Washington Capitals celebrate after wining Game 6 of the Second Round of the Stanley Cup Playoffs between the Washington Capitals and the Pittsburgh Penguins at PPG Paints Arena on Monday, May 7, 2018. The Washington Capitals won 2-1 to advance to the next round.

After the Penguins finished the preseason, the 5X Stanley Cup Champions Pittsburgh Penguins will start their regular season Home Opener against the 2018 Stanley Cup champions Washington Capitals on Thursday, Oct. 4 at 7 p.m. at PPG Paints Arena.

The Penguins finished last year with a record of 47 wins 29 losses and six overtime losses and finished in second place in the Metropolitan Division with 100 points.

The Washington Capitals finished last year with a record of 47 wins 26 losses and six overtime losses and finished in first place in the Metropolitan Division with 105 points.

The Washington Capitals played Wednesday night at Capital One Arena and defeated the Boston Bruins by the score of 7-0.

The Penguins are coming off a playoff second-round loss to the Washington Capitals in six games.

The Penguins eliminated the Flyers in the first round of the 2018 Stanley Cup playoffs in six games to advance to the second round.

The Capitals eliminated the Columbus Blue Jackets in six games to advance to the second round to play a rematch with the Pittsburgh Penguins.

First, the second round between the Washington Capitals and the Pittsburgh Penguins started off with the Penguins winning Game 1 in Washington.

Next, the Capitals won Game 2 and tied the series at one.

Game 3 was in Pittsburgh and the Capitals won and took a 2-1 series lead.

Then, Pittsburgh won Game 4 and tied the series at two games apiece.

Washington won Game 2 and went ahead 3-2 in the series, and with that, the Penguins were facing elimination for the first time.

Finally, it was a do or die for the Penguins in Game 6. It started off with the Capitals scoring first and taking a 1-0 lead. Then, The Penguins tied the game up 1-1. The 1-1 tie remained that until the overtime where Penguins winger Tom Kuhnhackl hit the post in overtime.

Finally, the Capitals scored in overtime to advance to their first Eastern Conference final in 20 years.

If tonight is anything like last year’s playoffs, then it should make for a fast-paced, entertaining game.