PPG Paints Arena was buzzing, then it was quiet, then it was just plain frustrated. If you’re looking for the pittsburgh penguins score tonight, here is the tough pill to swallow: the Pens fell 4-3 to the Columbus Blue Jackets after a grueling shootout.
Sometimes a single point feels like a win. Tonight wasn't one of those times. The Penguins moved to 21-14-11, and while they technically padded their total, the vibe in the locker room felt a lot more like a regulation loss. Columbus has been on a tear lately, and they officially extended their winning streak to four games at the expense of a Pittsburgh team that just couldn't find the finishing touch when it mattered most.
Breaking Down the Pittsburgh Penguins Score Tonight
The game was a seesaw. One minute you’re thinking the Pens have the momentum, and the next, Columbus finds a way to poke a hole in the defense. The final 4-3 scoreline masks a lot of the back-and-forth anxiety that defined the evening.
Pittsburgh’s offense looked lively early on. We saw some vintage puck movement, but the Blue Jackets’ goaltending held firm under pressure. Zach Aston-Reese (ZAR) managed to get on the board, which is always a bit of a "full circle" moment for the former Penguin, though fans in the stands probably didn't appreciate the irony at the time.
💡 You might also like: Listen to Dodger Game: How to Catch Every Pitch Without a Cable Bill
The shootout was where things really fell apart.
- Charlie Coyle (yes, he's in Columbus now) scored the decisive goal.
- Kent Johnson also found the back of the net during the skills competition.
- The Penguins' shooters, meanwhile, couldn't solve the puzzle.
Honestly, it’s the third straight win for Columbus under their new coach, Rick Bowness. They’ve got that "new coach bump" energy, and Pittsburgh ran right into a buzzsaw.
The Problem With One Point
You’ve heard it before: "Just get to overtime." In the NHL standings, that loser point is often treated like a safety net. But for the 2025-26 Penguins, these lost opportunities are starting to pile up. With a record that features 11 overtime/shootout losses, they are essentially leaving an entire season's worth of points on the table.
📖 Related: LeBron James and Kobe Bryant: What Really Happened Behind the Scenes
Sidney Crosby is still doing Crosby things, and Evgeni Malkin shows flashes of brilliance, but the depth scoring is a coin flip. Tonight, the coin landed on the wrong side. When you outshoot an opponent but can't close the door in the extra frame, it points to a lack of "killer instinct"—a phrase coaches love to throw around when they’re annoyed.
Looking Ahead to the Western Canada Trip
The schedule doesn't get any easier from here. The team has to pack their bags for a flight out west.
- Seattle Kraken: Monday, Jan 19 at 2:00 PM PST.
- Calgary Flames: Wednesday, Jan 21 at 6:30 PM PST.
- Edmonton Oilers: Thursday, Jan 22 at 6:00 PM PST.
That Edmonton game is the one everyone has circled. McDavid vs. Crosby. It’s the matchup that still sells out arenas even as the era starts to shift. If the Penguins play the way they did tonight—loose in the neutral zone and hesitant in the shootout—the Oilers will make it a long night.
👉 See also: Lawrence County High School Football: Why Friday Nights in Louisa Still Hit Different
What Really Happened in the Third Period
The Pens actually had a lead. It wasn't a big one, but they had it. The defensive structure basically evaporated in the final ten minutes of regulation, allowing Columbus to hang around. You can't let a team like the Blue Jackets stay within striking distance when they're playing with house money under a new system.
The goaltending from Stuart Skinner was solid for the most part, but he can't be expected to stop every odd-man rush created by a pinched defenseman. It's a recurring theme this season. High risk, medium reward.
Actionable Takeaways for Pens Fans
If you’re tracking the pittsburgh penguins score tonight and feeling the sting, here is what you actually need to watch for over the next week to see if this team is a contender or just a bubble team:
- Check the Power Play Conversion: If it stays below 20% on the road trip, expect a coaching shakeup on the special teams unit.
- Watch the Second Line Center Minutes: Malkin’s ice time is being managed, but tonight showed they need him out there more in the late stages of close games.
- Monitor the Western Road Trip Points: They need at least 4 out of 6 points from the Kraken, Flames, and Oilers to keep pace in a crowded Metropolitan Division.
The reality is that 4-3 in a shootout is a box score result. The story is a team that is currently struggling to find its identity as the 2026 playoff race begins to tighten up.
Next Step: Set your DVRs for the early 2:00 PM PST puck drop in Seattle this Monday. It's a quick turnaround, and the flight to the Pacific Northwest is never easy on the legs.