While the Detroit Red Wings picked up a valuable point in the standings during their 4-3 overtime setback against the Pittsburgh Penguins on Thursday evening, they’ll lament the fact that they only converted on two of eight power-play opportunities.
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Both James van Riemsdyk and Alex DeBrincat tallied with the man-advantage, the former coming during a four-minute double-minor opportunity, with the latter coming late in the third period to knot the score at 3-3.
However, six other chances went for naught despite coming into the contest with the NHL’s fourth-ranked power-play efficiency rate.
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Head coach Todd McLellan did point to the positive of the statistical reality that they finished with a 25 percent conversion rate during the contest.
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“At the end of the night, it was 25 percent, which isn’t too bad,” McLellan said of Detroit’s power-play. “It got us two goals and probably got us a point. Anytime you start a game on the power-play 20 seconds in, that’s a tough thing.”
Despite staying in the first place position in the Atlantic Division standings by picking up a point, the Red Wings feel that they could have played better as a whole
“It’s a huge point to get,” said DeBrincat, who picked up his 21st goal of the campaign. “Still a little disappointed in how we played, but some nights, good teams win those games. We feel like we should’ve won that game, but we can go win on Saturday and make it back.”
The Red Wings will once again face the Penguins on Saturday afternoon at Little Caesars Arena in Detroit.
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