One of hockey’s most intense rivalries takes center ice tonight as the Philadelphia Flyers welcome the Pittsburgh Penguins. Fans anticipate a high-stakes, competitive contest between these two long-standing foes.
Here are five storylines to follow as the Keystone State Rivalry is renewed.
Tonight marks the second meeting of the year between the Flyers and Penguins.
The two squads met on October 28, with Philadelphia securing a 3-2 shootout win.
Oct 28, 2025; Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, USA; Pittsburgh Penguins center Sidney Crosby (87) reacts after a high sticking penalty against the Philadelphia Flyers in the second period at Xfinity Mobile Arena. Mandatory Credit: Kyle Ross-Imagn Images / Kyle Ross-Imagn Images
The contest became chippy towards the end with several players being ejected prior to the shootout, including shootout master Trevor Zegras and Penguins captain Sidney Crosby. Despite that, Bobby Brink’s goal in the third round ended up as the game-winner.
The Flyers enter Monday’s clash riding a three-game win streak, which is tied for the longest streak this season. They went 3-1-0 on a four-game road trip, including a big win over the two-time defending Stanley Cup champion Florida Panthers.
Nov 26, 2025; Sunrise, Florida, USA; Philadelphia Flyers right wing Tyson Foerster (71) scores against the Florida Panthers during the third period at Amerant Bank Arena. Mandatory Credit: Sam Navarro-Imagn Images / Sam Navarro-Imagn Images
The road trip also saw Philadelphia take down the Islanders, led by Zegras’ shootout heroics, and hand the Devils their first home regulation loss, a 5-3 Flyers victory.
The Flyers, once again, will face a tough test with their opponent’s special teams units.
Pittsburgh’s power play and penalty kill are in the top five, respectively. Its power play ranks No. 2, converting at a 30.4%, scoring 17 goals on 56 attempts. The Penguins’ penalty kill sits at No. 5, allowing 10 goals on 66 attempts at 84.8%.
Despite not having a strong power play, the Flyers’ penalty kill has been one of the strongest units in the NHL.
Philadelphia’s power play ranks No. 19, scoring 11 goals on 63 attempts. However, the Flyers’ penalty kill sits at No. 4, only allowing 11 goals on 74 attempts.
Thanksgiving 2025 is in the past, but the Flyers can be thankful that Xfinity Mobile Arena has become a nightmare for opponents this season.
Philadelphia boasts a 8-3-2 record on home ice, one of the best home records in the NHL.
Their structure tightens up in front of the home crowd, and their pace tends to jump a notch, allowing them to dictate matchups, lean into their forecheck, and seize momentum early. That comfort level has become a reliable backbone of their season, helping them bank crucial points and steady themselves during tougher stretches on the road.
Nov 22, 2025; Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, USA; Philadelphia Flyers right wing Tyson Foerster (71) reacts with teammates after scoring a goal against the New Jersey Devils in the first period at Xfinity Mobile Arena. Mandatory Credit: Kyle Ross-Imagn Images / Kyle Ross-Imagn Images
It also helps that the Flyers have dedicated a corner of the rink to their beloved orange creature, Gritty, and his Chaos Corner.
In the rearview mirror, three big milestones were broken.
Flyers forward Owen Tippett surpassed 100 goals, 100 assists, and 200 points in his career, accomplishing a rare trifecta. Head coach Rick Tocchet also hit a milestone, securing his 300th win as an NHL bench boss.
Nov 29, 2025; Newark, New Jersey, USA; Philadelphia Flyers right wing Owen Tippett (74) takes a shot as New Jersey Devils defenseman Luke Hughes (43) defends during the third period at Prudential Center. Mandatory Credit: John Jones-Imagn Images / John Jones-Imagn Images
For the Penguins, Crosby also added another milestone to his already elite career numbers.
Nov 28, 2025; Columbus, Ohio, USA; Pittsburgh Penguins center Sidney Crosby (87) skates against the Columbus Blue Jackets in the third period at Nationwide Arena. Mandatory Credit: Aaron Doster-Imagn Images / Aaron Doster-Imagn Images
The 21-year NHL veteran recorded his 16th goal of the season, and 641st career goal, in a 7-2 loss to the Maple Leafs, passing Dave Andreychuk for 15th on the all-time list. Crosby looks ahead and closes in on 14th, currently held by Brendan Shanahan and his 656 goals. He is also 10 points away from surpassing the next man up on the all-time points list, fellow Penguins legend Mario Lemieux.
Puck drop between the Flyers and Penguins is set for 7 p.m.
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