Pittsburgh Penguins

11 things to know about the Penguins 2018 playoff season

PITTSBURGH, PA - APRIL 11: Olli Maatta #3 of the Penguins looks to clear the puck under pressure from Scott Laughton #21 of the Flyers during the third period in Game One of the Eastern Conference First Round. (Photo by Justin Berl/Getty Images)

The Penguins will be facing a familiar opponent in the second round of the Stanley Cup Playoff.

For the 10th time overall, and for the third straight year, the Pens will play the Washington Capitals. Game 1 is scheduled for 7 p.m. Thursday.

RELATED: Penguins, Capitals meeting in Round 2 of Stanley Cup Playoff

The Pens knocked out the Philadelphia Flyers in Round 1 after an 8-5 win in Game 6.

Here's 11 things to know about the Penguins 2018 playoff season:

1. Penguins' Evgeni Malkin and Carl Hagelin are out for Game 1.  Malkin has a lower-body injury from Game 5 against the Flyers.  Hagelin suffered an upper-body injury after a check from Flyers' captain Claude Giroux in Game 6.

2.  Penguins defenseman Kris Letang is back.  He missed the 2017 playoffs, and the matchup against the Capitals with a neck injury.

3.  There are seven new Penguins on the roster from last year’s Capitals match-up.  They are Zach Aston-Reece, Derick Brassard, Casey DeSmith, Matt Hunwick, Jamie Oleksiak, Riley Sheahan & Dominik Simon.

4. The Pens & Capitals split the regular season, each winning two and losing two.  Both teams lost 1 game on the road.

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5. The Pens beat Capitals’ goalie Brandon Holtby twice during the regular season.  They lost to him once, and lost the second game to goaltender Phillip Grubauer.

PITTSBURGH, PA - APRIL 13: Nolan Patrick #19 of the Philadelphia Flyers shields Matt Murray #30 of the Penguins in Game Two of the Eastern Conference First Round during the 2018 NHL Stanley Cup Playoffs. (Photo by Matt Kincaid/Getty Images)

6. Pens goaltender Matt Murray & Holtby have similar regular season statistics.  Murray had an average of 3.01 goals against, Holtby 3.6 goals against.

7.  The Capitals finished the regular season with 105 points and a record of 49-26.  The Penguins finished with 100 points and a record of 47-29.

WATCH: Pittsburgh Penguins fan writes, performs fight song ahead of playoffs

8. Pens captain Sidney Crosby & his linemate Jake Guentzel lead the NHL in playoff points after the first round.  Both have 13.  Capitals captain Alex Ovechkin is seventh, with eight points.

9. Three Penguins finished the regular season in the top 10 in points.  Evgeni Malkin was fourth with 98 points, Phil Kessel was seventh with 92 points, and Sidney Crosby was 10th with 89 points.  The Capitals’ Alex Ovechkin finished behind Crosby at 11th with, ironically, 87 points.

10. Crosby also tops Ovechkin in head-to-head matchups throughout their career.  The two have played against each other 64 times.  Crosby has 85 points: 30 goals & 55 assists – Ovechkin has 74 points: 40 goals & 34 assists.

11.  We like the Penguins a lot more than the Capitals, and can’t wait to bring you coverage of another Pens series win on WPXI.