DETROIT — The Pittsburgh Penguins (18-12-9) can claim a playoff position with a win Saturday. Their three-game winning streak has raised their winning percentage to eighth-best in the Eastern Conference. The Penguins finish the home-and-home set Saturday against the Detroit Red Wings at Little Caesars Arena.
The puck drops just after 12 p.m. for a national TV audience (ABC).
The Penguins survived a penalty-filled game Thursday, beating Detroit 4-3 in overtime at PPG Paints Arena. The Penguins took eight minor penalties, including Bryan Rust’s unsportsmanlike call for letting the refs know they missed a few calls on the other side.
Penguins defenseman Kris Letang played in his 1200th game and scored the OT game-winner, assisted by Sidney Crosby. It was a fitting end to the game, as Letang became just the third active defenseman and 15th ever to reach that mark.
Crosby had three points, including a pair of first-period goals that put the PPG Paints Arena fans on hat trick alert. Arturs Silovs earned the win, stopping 24 of 27 shots.
The Penguins have won three in a row and four of their last five games following their calamitous eight-game winless streak.
Detroit still leads the Atlantic Division and is 7-2-1 in their last 10 games. However, Detroit could quickly fall to third in the Atlantic because they lead the Tampa Bay Lightning by one point with two more games played, and they lead the Montreal Canadiens by two points, also with two extra games played.
Detroit goalie Cam Talbot stopped 27 of 31 shots Thursday in the OT loss.
Keeping the goalie rotation, the Penguins are expected to start Stuart Skinner.
How to Watch
TV: ABC
Radio: 105.9 The X
Expected Penguins Lines
Rickard Rakell-Sidney Crosby-Bryan Rust
Anthony Mantha-Tommy Novak-Justin Brazeau
Rutger McGroarty-Ben Kindel–Yegor Chinakhov
Connor Dewar-Blake Lizotte-Noel Acciari
Defense
Parker Wotherspoon-Erik Karlsson
Brett Kulak-Kris Letang
Ryan Shea-Jack St. Ivany
Goalie: Stuart Skinner, expected
Expected Red Wings Lines
Emmitt Finnie-Dylan Larkin-Lucas Raymond
Alex DeBrincat-Andrew Copp-John Leonard
Marco Kasper-Nate Danielson-James van Riemsdyk
Michael Rasmussen-JT Compher-Mason Appleton
Defense
Simon Edvinsson-Moritz Seider
Ben Chiarot-Axel Sandin-Pellikka
Albert Johansson-Jacob Bernard-Docker
Goalie: John Gibson, expected
Special Teams
Penguins’ power play: 30.2%, 2nd. Penguins penalty kill: 81.2%, 11th.
Red Wings power play: 25.2%, 4th. Red Wings penalty kill: 80.2%, 17th.
Penguins Game Notes
The Penguins are 11-3-3 in their last 17 games against Detroit, and 5-3-0 in their last eight games at Little Caesars Arena.
Kris Letang has 12 points (2-10-12) over his last 17 games.
Penguins Olympians: Erik Karlsson and forward Rickard Rakell were named to Team Sweden, joining captain Sidney Crosby (Team Canada) and goaltender Arturs Silovs (Team Latvia).
With Blake Lizotte in the lineup, the Penguins are 17-7-6.
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