While the good news for the Detroit Red Wings picked up a point in the standings to maintain their lead in the Atlantic Division, the bad news is that they only scored twice on seven power-play opportunities in what was ultimately a 4-3 overtime loss to the Pittsburgh Penguins on Thursday evening.
Kris Letang blasted a one-timer past the blocker of goaltender Cam Talbot in the extra session after receiving a feed from Sidney Crosby, who scored twice in the first period in short order.
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The Red Wings, who came into the contest with the NHL’s fourth-best power-play, were given multiple chances thanks to the undisciplined play of the host Penguins, but only converted twice.
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It was Crosby who gave the Penguins a quick 2-0 lead in the opening 20 minutes of play, as he scored twice in less than two minutes.
Detroit got back into the contest thanks to the 10th goal of the season from James van Riemsdyk, who scored while Tommy Novak was in the box with a double-minor for high sticking.
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Andrew Copp then knotted the score early in the second period, taking advantage of a friendly bounce off the boards and beating goaltender Arturs Silovs for his fifth tally of the season.
Detroit appeared to take a 3-2 lead with less than 10 minutes left in regulation, but what would have been Lucas Raymond’s first goal in five games was taken away after Dylan Larkin was ruled to have been offside by an inch.
Pittsburgh then took advantage of an advantageous bounce of their own, as Blake Lizotte’s shot deflected off the chest of defenseman Simon Edvinsson and past Talbot. However, they put the Red Wings right back on the power-play soon afterward, thanks to a delay of game penalty for flipping the puck over the glass in their defensive zone.
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Alex DeBrincat scored his 21st goal of the campaign on the ensuing man-advantage, backhanding the puck past a sprawling Silovs after collecting the rebound off the boards of a shot from Raymond.
Talbot finished with 24 saves, while Silovs countered with 27 saves.
Both teams will once again face off on Saturday afternoon, this time at Little Caesars Arena in Detroit.
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