Pittsburgh Penguins Knock Off the Detroit Red Wings

In a nationally televised matinee that felt more like a morning skate for the home team, Detroit looked completely inept, sleepwalking its way to a well-deserved 4-1 loss against the Pittsburgh Penguins.

Noon starts are weird. It disrupts the routine. But here’s the thing—the Penguins had to play at noon, too. The difference? Pittsburgh showed up ready to work, while the Wings looked like they were waiting for their first cup of coffee to kick in until the midway point of the second period.

Penguins Dominate Early As Detroit Struggles

It didn’t take a hockey genius to see which way the ice was tilted. Sidney Crosby, doing what he has done for two decades, decided to dictate the pace immediately. After Parker Wotherspoon turned the puck over in the neutral zone, Crosby fed a wide-open Bryan Rust. Rust buried it behind Wings Goalie John Gibson less than four minutes in.

And the Wings? They were ghosts.

We aren’t talking about a slow start; we’re talking about a no-show. Detroit didn’t register a single shot on goal during its first power play. In fact, they didn’t really test Penguins Goalie Stuart Skinner until James van Riemsdyk fired a puck from the slot 13 minutes into the game. That is simply not going to cut it in this league, especially when you entered the day sitting atop the Eastern Conference standings.

Gibson Shine Wasted By Anemic Offense

If there is one person in the Red Wings locker room who has the right to be frustrated, it’s Gibson. The netminder was the only guy in a red jersey who seemed to know the game started at noon.

Gibson made 27 saves and kept the team on life support way longer than they deserved. He was alert, athletic, and hung out to dry by the five guys in front of him. When Yegor Chinakhov walked in all alone to make it 2-0 late in the first, you couldn’t even blame the goalie. It was a defensive breakdown that let the Penguins stretch the ice and expose Detroit’s lack of awareness.

Too Little, Too Late For the Wings

There was a brief glimmer of hope. With five minutes left in the second, Alex DeBrincat finally woke up the crowd at Little Caesars Arena, cutting the lead in half off the rush. For a second, it felt like maybe they could steal a point. DeBrincat even clanked one off the post shortly after.

But that was it. That was the offense. The Wings finished with a pathetic 12 shots on net. You read that right. The Penguins fired 31. The game ended in the most predictable way possible: with the Wings pulling Gibson for an extra attacker, only to watch Rickard Rakell and Connor Dewar casually toss pucks into the empty net. It was a fitting end to a game where Detroit never really looked interested in winning.

They’ll head to Ottawa next to face the Senators on Monday. Hopefully, they remember to set an alarm this time.