Detroit Red Wings vs. Pittsburgh Penguins – December 31, 2024 Game Recap

The Detroit Red Wings rang in the New Year with a thrilling 4-2 victory over the Pittsburgh Penguins at Little Caesars Arena on December 31, 2024. The win marked Todd McLellan’s 600th NHL career victory in just his third game as the Red Wings’ head coach.

Game Summary

First Period

Goal (DET): Jonatan Berggren (7:52)

Assists: J.T. Compher, Vladimir Tarasenko

Goal (PIT): Drew O’Connor (18:29)

Assist: Cody Glass

Second Period

Goal (DET): Patrick Kane (3:41, Power Play)

Assists: Alex DeBrincat, Lucas Raymond

Third Period

Goal (PIT): Drew O’Connor (3:18, Power Play)

Assists: Erik Karlsson, Sidney Crosby

Goal (DET): J.T. Compher (14:26, Power Play)

Assists: Erik Gustafsson, Jonatan Berggren

Goal (DET): Dylan Larkin (19:46, Empty Net)

Assists: Joe Veleno, Lucas Raymond

Key Statistics

Shots on Goal: Pittsburgh 25, Detroit 25

Power Play: Pittsburgh 1/3, Detroit 2/3

Saves: Alex Lyon (DET) 23/25, Alex Nedeljkovic (PIT) 21/24

Game Highlights

The Red Wings started strong with Jonatan Berggren capitalizing on a breakaway opportunity set up by Vladimir Tarasenko. Pittsburgh’s Drew O’Connor equalized late in the first period, ending his 32-game goal drought.

Patrick Kane showcased his lethal shot in the second period, scoring on the power play to give Detroit a 2-1 lead. This goal marked the 125th time Kane and DeBrincat have assisted on each other’s goals in their careers.

The Penguins tied the game early in the third period with O’Connor’s second goal of the night, also on the power play. However, J.T. Compher’s timely power-play goal at 14:26 of the third period proved to be the game-winner for Detroit. Dylan Larkin sealed the victory with an empty-net goal in the final minute.

Notable Performances

Drew O’Connor (PIT): 2 goals, 4 shots

J.T. Compher (DET): 1 goal, 1 assist, 4 shots

Jonatan Berggren (DET): 1 goal, 1 assist

Alex Lyon (DET): 23 saves, .920 save percentage

Coaching Milestone

Todd McLellan reached a significant milestone with his 600th NHL career win. After the game, McLellan emphasized the importance of the team’s recent success over his personal achievement, stating, “Tonight was more about this group than about me. There are so many excited guys in there right now – the whole mood is different than when we started. That means a lot more than 600.”

Looking Ahead

The Red Wings improve to 15-18-4 on the season and are now 2-1-0 under new coach Todd McLellan. The Penguins fall to 17-17-5 and will look to bounce back in their next game.

This New Year’s Eve victory continues the Red Wings’ tradition of strong performances on December 31st, improving their all-time record to 35-24-7-2 on this date, including a 4-2-1 record since moving to Little Caesars Arena.

Photos: Tim Jarrold – In Play! magazine