The Penguins fail to stay hot in California, getting outclassed in a 5-1 loss against the Ducks in Anaheim on Thursday.

The Pittsburgh Penguins suffered a critical loss to the Anaheim Ducks on Thursday night, dropping further down the NHL standings.

It won’t be the best matchup when the Pittsburgh Penguins and Anaheim Ducks meet on Thursday night. Both teams are in seventh in their respective divisions, with the Penguins heading for a rebuild and the Ducks still trying to emerge from their lengthy quest to be contenders.

Facing what was arguably a must-win game for all intents and purposes, the Anaheim Ducks cruised to a dominant victory Thursday night over Sidney Crosby and the Pittsburgh Penguins.

The Pittsburgh Penguins and Anaheim Ducks are both hoping to turn their seasons around. Neither team was a playoff team last year, and they're not off to a good start this year. Pittsburgh came ...

Pittsburgh Penguins forward Bryan Rust suffered an undisclosed injury and prematurely exited a 5-1 loss to the Anaheim Ducks at the Honda Center in Anaheim, Calif. on Thursday. Aside from a posting on one of the team’s social media accounts acknowledging the ailment,

Mason McTavish had two goals for the second straight game, Jansen Harkins and Trevor Zegras scored as the Ducks beat Predators 5-2, snapping Nashville’s five-game winning streak.

Welcome back to NHL Predictions. Each day, Last Word on Hockey reviews the scheduled games and offers insight and analysis to help predict who will win in head-to-head matchups.

The Pittsburgh Penguins (20-21-8) again have a chance to get back to hockey .500, but more importantly, stack wins on a pivotal seven-game road trip. Thus far, the Penguins are 2-1-0 in the first three games and inching back into the continually mediocre middle of the Eastern Conference playoff race.

The Nashville Predators vs. Anaheim Ducks game will be televised by FanDuel Sports Network South with streaming available via FUBO and ESPN+ (outside of the Nashville TV market). Jan. 25: at Anaheim Ducks, 9 p.m.

The Pittsburgh Penguins can reach a .500 record if they are able to defeat a struggling Anaheim Ducks team Thursday, who've lost 7 of their last 8 games.