Penguins clinch postseason berth: Crosby, Malkin return to playoffs for first time since 2022

NEWARK, N.J. — Dan Muse walked around the locker room in the moments following the Pittsburgh Penguins’ 5-2 win against the New Jersey Devils, shaking hands with each of his players.Bryan Rust then looked at his coach and said, “Hey! The fun has just begun.”He would know.Rust, along with the Big Three of Sidney Crosby, Evgeni Malkin and Kris Letang — the four members of the Penguins’ 2017 Stanley Cup team remaining on the roster — are headed back to the Stanley Cup playoffs for the first time since 2022. The Penguins officially clinched a playoff spot on Thursday night and thanks to the Philadelphia Flyers’ loss in Detroit, they have also clinched home-ice advantage in the first round.