Carolina Hurricanes at Pittsburgh Penguins
NHL game between the Carolina Hurricanes and the Pittsburgh Penguins on Dec 31, 2025. Final score: Carolina Hurricanes 1, Pittsburgh Penguins 5.
| Status | Final |
|---|---|
| Date | Dec 31, 2025 |
| Venue | PPG Paints Arena |
| Carolina Hurricanes score | 1 |
| Pittsburgh Penguins score | 5 |
Shot charts, expected goals (xG), Game Score and advanced box scores for this game are available on Hockey Alchemy.
Three Stars by Game Score
Ranked by Game Score, which rolls goals, assists, shot quality, play-driving and penalties into one number — so the best player is chosen by the box score, not by a vote.
| Player | Pos | G | A | SOG | TOI | xG | Game Score | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1st | Justin Brazeau | R | 1 | 1 | 3 | 13:48 | 0.45 | 1.54 |
| 2nd | Anthony Mantha | R | 2 | 0 | 3 | 14:23 | 0.41 | 1.50 |
| 3rd | Tommy Novak | C | 1 | 1 | 2 | 14:39 | 0.05 | 1.49 |
Scoring Summary
| Time | Team | Goal | Assists | Strength | Score (Carolina Hurricanes–Pittsburgh Penguins) |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1st 03:46 | PIT | Sidney Crosby | Rickard Rakell, Bryan Rust | 5v5 | 0–1 |
| 1st 16:07 | PIT | Justin Brazeau | Brett Kulak | 5v5 | 0–2 |
| 1st 17:12 | PIT | Anthony Mantha | Bryan Rust, Erik Karlsson | 5v4 | 0–3 |
| 2nd 15:08 | PIT | Tommy Novak | Parker Wotherspoon, Erik Karlsson | 5v5 | 0–4 |
| 2nd 18:08 | PIT | Anthony Mantha | Justin Brazeau, Tommy Novak | 5v5 | 0–5 |
| 2nd 18:25 | CAR | Mark Jankowski | Joel Nystrom, Mike Reilly | 5v5 | 1–5 |
Team Comparison
| Carolina Hurricanes | Pittsburgh Penguins | |
|---|---|---|
| Goals | 1 | 5 |
| Shots on goal | 28 | 28 |
| Expected goals (xG) | 2.41 | 3.13 |
| High-danger shots | 14 | 17 |
| Corsi % | 51.2% | 48.8% |
| Power play | 0/0 | 1/2 |
| Faceoff % | 47.3% | 52.7% |
| Hits | 21 | 15 |
| Blocks | 15 | 19 |
| Giveaways | 21 | 15 |
| Takeaways | 4 | 7 |
Carolina Hurricanes Skaters
| Player | Pos | G | A | P | SOG | TOI | xG | Game Score |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Mike Reilly | D | 0 | 1 | 1 | 2 | 17:47 | 0.27 | 0.74 |
| Mark Jankowski | L | 1 | 0 | 1 | 2 | 13:29 | 0.32 | 0.70 |
| Joel Nystrom | D | 0 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 17:54 | 0.05 | 0.69 |
| Eric Robinson | L | 0 | 0 | 0 | 3 | 18:06 | 0.32 | 0.20 |
| William Carrier | L | 0 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 14:45 | 0.07 | 0.20 |
| Jalen Chatfield | D | 0 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 19:17 | 0.02 | 0.15 |
| Alexander Nikishin | D | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 22:39 | 0.00 | 0.10 |
| Jesperi Kotkaniemi | C | 0 | 0 | 0 | 3 | 17:13 | 0.27 | 0.10 |
| Jordan Staal | C | 0 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 12:33 | 0.07 | 0.10 |
| Sean Walker | D | 0 | 0 | 0 | 4 | 20:53 | 0.23 | 0.10 |
| Jordan Martinook | L | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 12:31 | 0.00 | 0.05 |
| K'Andre Miller | D | 0 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 21:28 | 0.01 | 0.00 |
| Logan Stankoven | C | 0 | 0 | 0 | 2 | 14:22 | 0.14 | 0.00 |
| Sebastian Aho | C | 0 | 0 | 0 | 2 | 13:52 | 0.18 | -0.05 |
| Taylor Hall | L | 0 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 14:53 | 0.06 | -0.05 |
| Andrei Svechnikov | R | 0 | 0 | 0 | 3 | 13:50 | 0.19 | -0.05 |
| Jackson Blake | R | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 15:28 | 0.07 | -0.15 |
| Nikolaj Ehlers | L | 0 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 16:28 | 0.29 | -0.15 |
Pittsburgh Penguins Skaters
| Player | Pos | G | A | P | SOG | TOI | xG | Game Score |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Justin Brazeau | R | 1 | 1 | 2 | 3 | 13:48 | 0.45 | 1.54 |
| Anthony Mantha | R | 2 | 0 | 2 | 3 | 14:23 | 0.41 | 1.50 |
| Tommy Novak | C | 1 | 1 | 2 | 2 | 14:39 | 0.05 | 1.49 |
| Erik Karlsson | D | 0 | 2 | 2 | 1 | 19:40 | 0.08 | 1.38 |
| Bryan Rust | R | 0 | 2 | 2 | 1 | 17:04 | 0.15 | 1.33 |
| Sidney Crosby | C | 1 | 0 | 1 | 3 | 18:22 | 0.41 | 0.95 |
| Parker Wotherspoon | D | 0 | 1 | 1 | 2 | 18:03 | 0.02 | 0.74 |
| Rickard Rakell | R | 0 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 17:07 | 0.08 | 0.69 |
| Brett Kulak | D | 0 | 1 | 1 | 0 | 21:58 | 0.00 | 0.49 |
| Jack St. Ivany | D | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 18:06 | 0.02 | 0.30 |
| Noel Acciari | C | 0 | 0 | 0 | 3 | 16:28 | 0.45 | 0.15 |
| Connor Dewar | C | 0 | 0 | 0 | 2 | 15:44 | 0.26 | 0.15 |
| Ryan Shea | D | 0 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 17:33 | 0.08 | 0.10 |
| Ville Koivunen | R | 0 | 0 | 0 | 2 | 14:18 | 0.21 | 0.05 |
| Ben Kindel | C | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 13:38 | 0.00 | 0.00 |
| Rutger McGroarty | R | 0 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 12:16 | 0.13 | 0.00 |
| Blake Lizotte | C | 0 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 14:21 | 0.15 | 0.00 |
| Kris Letang | D | 0 | 0 | 0 | 2 | 22:32 | 0.04 | -0.05 |
Goaltending
| Goalie | Team | SV | SA | SV% | GSAx | Decision |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Frederik Andersen | Carolina Hurricanes | 23 | 28 | 82.1% | -0.77 | L |
| Stuart Skinner | Pittsburgh Penguins | 27 | 28 | 96.4% | -0.53 | W |
Analysis
The Pittsburgh Penguins defeated the Carolina Hurricanes 5–1 on Dec 31, 2025, a decisive 4-goal win.
Pittsburgh Penguins generated 3.13 expected goals to Carolina Hurricanes's 2.41 — the run of play matched the result, with Pittsburgh Penguins earning the better chances as well as the goals.
Justin Brazeau led all skaters with a Game Score of 1.54 on 1 goal, 1 assist, 3 shots on goal.
Stuart Skinner stopped 27 of 28, worth -0.53 goals saved above expected.
Frequently Asked Questions
Who won the Carolina Hurricanes vs Pittsburgh Penguins game?
The Pittsburgh Penguins beat the Carolina Hurricanes 5–1 on Dec 31, 2025.
What was the final score?
The final score was Pittsburgh Penguins 5, Carolina Hurricanes 1.
Who was the best player in this game?
By Game Score — a single-number summary of everything a skater did — Justin Brazeau led all skaters at 1.54, on 1G, 1A and 3 shots on goal.
Which team deserved to win by expected goals?
Pittsburgh Penguins generated 3.13 expected goals and Carolina Hurricanes generated 2.41, so Pittsburgh Penguins created the better chances. That matches the result.
What were the shot totals?
Carolina Hurricanes put 28 shots on goal and Pittsburgh Penguins put 28. High-danger chances went 14 to 17.
How did the goaltenders play?
Frederik Andersen stopped 23 of 28 (-0.77 goals saved above expected); Stuart Skinner stopped 27 of 28 (-0.53 goals saved above expected).