The Pittsburgh Penguins are flying into 2024 riding high, but with two huge contests on the ledger.

2023 is coming to a close, but for the Pittsburgh Penguins, there won’t be too much time to celebrate the start of a new year.

The Penguins are gearing up for a pair of games that could have huge implications on their standing for the remainder of the season.

Their next two contests come against teams that are just barely ahead of them in the playoff race in the New York Islanders and heated rival Washington Capitals.

Both are home games for the Penguins which should help them in the long run, but they’ll need to be ready for an attack.

The Islanders come to town on New Year’s Eve and are looking to avenge their 7-0 beatdown at the hands of the Penguins in their last meeting.

That drubbing occurred under a week ago, so the wound is still fresh for the Islanders.

Sitting with a 17-9-9 record for 43 points, the Islanders hold the first wild card spot in the Eastern Conference and are out of the top three Metropolitan Division slots thanks to a tiebreaker.

The Islanders may be looking for a big bounce back game, but the Capitals are looking to get their future Hall of Fame goal scorer back into the swing of things.

Alex Ovechkin has struggled to find the back of the net in 2023-24 with only seven goals in 34 games, including a streak of 14 without a tally.

The Penguins could be a great target for Ovechkin to find his way back to a consistent goal scoring level; in 73 career games against the Penguins, he’s scored 39 total goals.

The Capitals hold the second wild card spot with a 17-11- 6 record and 40 points; the Penguins are 17-13-4 with 38 points.

A new year is arriving, but the Penguins will need to continue their hot streak and collect a few more wins.

If they’re able to come out on top, there’s a pretty good chance their back in a playoff spot and no longer on the outside looking in.

Make sure you bookmark Inside the Penguins for the latest news, exclusive interviews, breakdowns and so much more.

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