As one of the most successful expansion teams, the Pittsburgh Penguins still struggle against some opponents. Who are they?
The Pittsburgh Penguins have played 4,417 games and have a record of 2,027-1,822-383-185 for a winning percentage of .523.
Considering their main rivals are all within half a day's drive of Steel City, like the Philadelphia Flyers, New York Rangers, New York Islanders, New Jersey Devils, and Washington Capitals, it wouldn't surprise anyone that they have skated the most contests against those clubs.
Of course, their best records are also against those mentioned above, but when we look at the teams the Penguins have struggled to win against, there's a shuffle among the names.
Here are the top teams against which Pittsburgh has the most losses.
5. Montreal Canadiens (75-116-23-11)
The Penguins have lost at least 100 games to seven teams while suffering 116 losses in 225 meetings with an Original Six franchise, the Montreal Canadiens.
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Montreal has dominated not only the regular-season matchup but also in the playoffs. They've picked up victories in the three meetings and maintained a 6-11 lead in games played.
4. New Jersey Devils (115-117-17-11)
The Devils remain in the top five for the most wins against and the most losses. Since New Jersey was a dominant team from the late 1990s into the early 2000s, they kept the overall series with the Penguins close.
However, Pittsburgh has flipped the script in the postseason, holding a 4-1 series advantage, suffering their only defeat in the 2001 Eastern Conference Final. Overall, the Penguins are 17-12 against the Devils in the playoffs.
3. Boston Bruins (79-119-21-8)
Another Original Six franchise, the Boston Bruins, sneaked into third place, handing Pittsburgh 119 losses in 227 meetings. These two franchises share a similar color scheme, making them bitter rivals from the day the Penguins switched out of the powder blue threads.
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Like the Canadiens, Pittsburgh has struggled against the Bruins in the playoffs, winning only two matchups in 1991 and 1992 while getting swept in their most recent meeting, the 2013 Eastern Conference Final. The playoff wins are in Boston's favor, too, 13-10.
2. New York Rangers (137-126-23-13)
The Penguins have played the Rangers in the second most contests, so it is not surprising that the Blueshirts rank first in wins against and second in losses against.
Although Pittsburgh has struggled against Montreal and Boston, they have a winning playoff record against New York's oldest team in eight meetings. The Penguins dominated the first four matchups in their meetings before the Rangers picked up some eliminations. Pittsburgh remains up 5-3 in wins thanks to a 27-17 record.
1. Philadelphia Flyers (116-153-30-12)
The Penguins have played the Flyers 311 times, more than any other opponent. Because their cross-state rivals were so dominant in the early days of the Pittsburgh franchise, they maintain a comfortable lead in the overall series.
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However, the numbers are not so far apart in the playoffs. In seven meetings, the Flyers are still ahead 4-3, but the overall wins are split by a single game, 21-20 in favor of Philadelphia.