Penguins Dominate Blackhawks With Four-Goal Second Period Surge

It was a night to remember at PPG Paints Arena, but not for the reasons the Chicago Blackhawks were hoping. On January 29, 2026, the Pittsburgh Penguins flexed their offensive muscle, defeating the Blackhawks 6-2 in front of a raucous home crowd. This victory not only extended Pittsburgh’s winning streak to five games but also completed a season sweep against Chicago, having previously won 7-3 at the United Center in December.

Coming into the matchup, the Penguins (26-14-11) were riding high after a flawless 4-0-0 Western Canada road trip, sitting comfortably in second place in the Metropolitan Division with 63 points—just six behind the division-leading Carolina Hurricanes. Meanwhile, the Blackhawks (21-23-9) were looking to rebound after a heartbreaking 4-3 shootout loss to the Minnesota Wild, a game where they squandered a 3-0 lead. The stakes were high, and both teams had plenty to play for as the puck dropped shortly after 6:00 p.m. CT.

It was the Penguins who set the tone early. Despite missing key veteran Bryan Rust, who was serving a three-game suspension for a hit on Vancouver’s Brock Boeser, and with Evgeni Malkin listed as day-to-day with an injury, Pittsburgh’s depth came through in a big way. The first period saw both teams feeling each other out, but it was the second period where the Penguins truly took flight, netting four goals and leaving the Blackhawks scrambling for answers.

Anthony Mantha was the star of the show for Pittsburgh, racking up a goal and two assists. Mantha’s breakaway goal, a slick backhand past Chicago netminder Arvid Soderblom, electrified the crowd and capped off a dominant middle frame. After the game, Mantha told reporters, “We knew we had to step up with some guys out. Everyone contributed, and that’s what makes this team special.”

Justin Brazeau, who had recorded his first career hat trick against Chicago in their previous meeting, continued his strong play on the top line alongside Rickard Rakell and the ever-dangerous Sidney Crosby. Crosby, the Penguins’ captain and leading scorer with 27 goals and 57 points, orchestrated the offense with his usual flair, keeping the Blackhawks’ defense on its heels. The Penguins’ second-period outburst was rounded out by goals from Rakell, Ben Kindel, and Noel Acciari, each capitalizing on Chicago turnovers and defensive lapses.

For Chicago, it was another night of missed opportunities and defensive breakdowns. The Blackhawks entered the game hoping to build on recent positives—Connor Bedard snapping a point drought, Teuvo Teravainen returning from injury, and Arvid Soderblom coming off a strong performance against Tampa Bay. But the Penguins’ relentless forecheck and transition game were simply too much to handle.

Connor Bedard, the Blackhawks’ young star and leading scorer with 49 points, provided a bright spot with a snipe past Pittsburgh’s Arturs Silovs in the third period. Bedard, who grew up idolizing Crosby, seemed energized skating alongside Frank Nazar and Teravainen. Nazar, for his part, tallied two assists and showed flashes of brilliance in the offensive zone. The Blackhawks’ other goal came from veteran defenseman Connor Murphy, who jumped into the rush to beat Silovs with a well-placed shot.

Despite the lopsided score, Arvid Soderblom was a workhorse in net for Chicago, turning aside 38 shots and keeping the game from getting even further out of hand. “Soderblom gave us a chance early, but we just didn’t do enough in front of him,” Chicago head coach Jeff Blashill said postgame. “Pittsburgh is a tough team, especially in their building, and we have to be better defensively.”

The Blackhawks’ lineup featured a minor shakeup, with Colton Dach drawing in for Landon Slaggert on the fourth line alongside Ryan Donato and Nick Foligno. The top line of Nazar, Bedard, and Teravainen remained intact, hoping to generate offense against a Penguins team that boasted the NHL’s third-best power play and eighth-best goals-against average entering the contest. On defense, Chicago rolled out pairings of Alex Vlasic with Louis Crevier, Wyatt Kaiser with Artyom Levshunov, and Matt Grzelcyk with Connor Murphy. Sam Lafferty remained a healthy scratch.

Pittsburgh, under head coach Dan Muse, countered with a lineup that blended veteran savvy and youthful exuberance. Alongside Crosby and Brazeau, the Penguins featured Egor Chinakhov, Tommy Novak, and rookie Ben Kindel, who had scored twice in their previous win over Vancouver. On the blue line, Erik Karlsson and Kris Letang anchored the defense, while Arturs Silovs made his 24th start in goal, entering the game with a 9-6-8 record and a .894 save percentage.

Special teams played a pivotal role, as the Penguins capitalized on their opportunities with the man advantage, further highlighting why their power play ranks among the league’s elite at 27.4%. Chicago, despite owning the NHL’s top penalty kill at 85.5%, struggled to contain Pittsburgh’s puck movement and down-low pressure.

The loss continued a frustrating stretch for the Blackhawks, who have now managed just 11 goals over their last seven games. Offensive leaders like Tyler Bertuzzi, who paces the team with 25 goals, and Bedard have been unable to consistently solve opposing goaltenders. The defeat also extended Chicago’s recent woes on the road, though they had earned points in eight of their last ten visits to PPG Paints Arena prior to this meeting.

For the Penguins, the win reinforced their status as legitimate contenders in the Eastern Conference. Even with key absences, Pittsburgh’s depth and leadership shone through. “We’ve got a group that believes in each other,” Crosby noted after the game. “No matter who’s in or out, we find a way.”

Elsewhere in the hockey world, former Blackhawks superstar Patrick Kane was making headlines of his own, tying Mike Modano for the most points by an American-born NHL player. While Chicago fans had an eye on Kane’s record chase with the Detroit Red Wings, the present-day Blackhawks were left searching for answers as they returned home to regroup for the second half of their back-to-back set against the Columbus Blue Jackets.

As the final horn sounded in Pittsburgh, there was no mistaking which team was surging and which was searching for consistency. The Penguins, now winners of five straight, have their sights set on climbing even higher in the Metropolitan standings. The Blackhawks, meanwhile, will look to learn from another tough lesson on the road as they aim to get back in the win column.