Bruins host Penguins in Black Friday afternoon matchup

The NHL returns to action after taking off Thanksgiving Day with a Black Friday matchup between the Boston Bruins and Pittsburgh Penguins. The afternoon game starts at 1 p.m. ET on NBC, the first of the season on the big national network, as part of an all-day slate of hockey that should provide a lot of quality viewing options.

The opening game of the day is also a good one, with the defending Stanley Cup champions visiting Boston for the first time this season. The Penguins are off to a bizarre start with an 11-9-3 record despite some brutal underlying statistics, but they’re still loaded with talent.

Pittsburgh will be without Evgeni Malkin, however, as the star center misses his second straight game due to an upper-body injury. “Geno’s status is the same,” coach Mike Sullivan said. “He’s not going to travel with us to Boston. We’ll evaluate him when we come back. One of the reasons he’s not going to travel with us is it’s an afternoon game and he’s got an opportunity to skate here.”

Malkin is second on the team with 21 points in 22 games this season. Phil Kessel leads the way with 26 points in 23 appearances.

The Bruins haven’t had any big-time scorers like that this season, which is part of why they’re off to a 9-7-4 start. The team is just 27th in goals per game, so it’s needed to keep opponents off the scoreboard to win. Luckily the fourth-best penalty kill in the NHL has helped Boston keep its head above water.

Boston has won three consecutive games on the road against the Sharks, Kings, and Devils, so it’s been playing some very good hockey of late. Here’s how to tune in.

Time: 1 p.m. ET

TV: NBC

Live stream: NBC Sports Live