Detroit Red Wings vs Pittsburgh Penguins Game Review January 3, 2025
The Pittsburgh Penguins extended their winning streak to four games with an impressive 4-1 victory over the Detroit Red Wings at Little Caesars Arena on Saturday, January 3, 2026. This win completed a home-and-home sweep of the Red Wings, marking the first time in over 47 years that the Penguins have accomplished this feat against Detroit.
Game Highlights
The Penguins established control early when Bryan Rust opened the scoring just 3:44 into the first period. Sidney Crosby provided a perfect cross-ice pass to Rust, who beat Red Wings goaltender John Gibson from the left face-off circle to give Pittsburgh a 1-0 lead.
Yegor Chinakhov, recently acquired in a trade with the Columbus Blue Jackets, doubled the Penguins’ lead at 17:30 of the first period. He collected a long pass from Ben Kindel, broke in alone, and slid the puck between Gibson’s pads for his first goal as a Penguin and fourth of the season.
The Red Wings showed signs of life in the second period when Alex DeBrincat cut the deficit to 2-1 at 15:06. DeBrincat beat the Penguins to a loose puck, broke down the left wing, and fired a shot over Stuart Skinner’s glove from the face-off circle.
In the third period, the Penguins played shutdown defense, allowing just three shots on goal. Pittsburgh sealed the victory with two empty-net goals in the final minute – Rickard Rakell at 19:00 and Connor Dewar at 19:28 – to secure the 4-1 final score.
Standout Performances
Sidney Crosby was exceptional, recording two assists and extending his point streak to six games (10 points; 4 goals, 6 assists). Crosby now has 53 points in 40 regular-season games against Detroit and recorded his 257th multi-assist game, passing Marcel Dionne for sole possession of that record.
Stuart Skinner was solid in net for the Penguins, making 11 saves on 12 shots. His performance was supported by a stellar defensive effort from the entire team, with defenseman Brett Kulak leading the way with four blocked shots.
For Detroit, John Gibson stopped 27 of 29 shots faced, while Alex DeBrincat provided their only offensive highlight with his goal in the second period.
Key Moments
The most significant aspect of this game was Pittsburgh’s defensive dominance. They held Detroit to a season-low 12 shots on goal, completely stifling the Red Wings’ offense. Detroit had more shot attempts blocked (14) and missed shots (16) than actual shots on goal.
Pre/Post-Game Notes
The victory was particularly significant as it came against one of the top teams in the Eastern Conference. The return of Blake Lizotte to the Penguins’ lineup has coincided with their four-game winning streak, providing an energy boost to the team.
Red Wings coach Todd McLellan was critical of his team’s performance in his post-game comments: “It’s evident that we have work to do. The Pittsburgh team was everything we wanted to be tonight — they started with intensity that backed us off, they were faster than we were, and they smothered us in all three zones.”
Penguins coach Dan Muse praised his team’s execution: “I think we played a good, fast game. We talked coming out of the (holiday) break about taking the next step and I think we’re doing a nice job of it.”
Photos: Tim Jarrold – In Play! magazine
