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Penguins Cruise Past Struggling Red Wings 5-1
Rakell, Mantha, and Chinakov score in first period as Pittsburgh stays in playoff position.
Apr. 1, 2026 at 2:08am
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The Pittsburgh Penguins defeated the Detroit Red Wings 5-1 on Tuesday night, led by first-period goals from Rickard Rakell, Anthony Mantha, and Egor Chinakov. Evgeni Malkin returned to the lineup and recorded an assist, while Justin Brazeau ended a 12-game goal drought for the Penguins. Detroit, which was in first place in the Atlantic Division earlier this season, has now dropped four of its last five games and remains outside of the Eastern Conference wild-card playoff spots.
Why it matters
The win keeps the Penguins in second place in the Metropolitan Division with seven games left in the regular season, as they try to fend off other teams for a playoff spot. For the struggling Red Wings, the loss is another blow to their postseason hopes as they continue to slide down the standings.
The details
Rakell, Mantha, and Chinakov scored in the first period to give the Penguins a commanding 3-0 lead that they would not relinquish. Malkin, returning from an upper-body injury, recorded an assist on Mantha's goal. Brazeau ended his 12-game goal drought, and goaltender Stuart Skinner made 22 saves for Pittsburgh. Detroit's Dylan Larkin scored to reach the 30-goal plateau for the fifth straight season, but Red Wings starter John Gibson was pulled after the first period.
- The game was played on Tuesday, April 1, 2026.
- The Penguins next play at Tampa Bay on Thursday.
- The Red Wings next play at Philadelphia on Thursday.
The players
Rickard Rakell
A forward for the Pittsburgh Penguins who scored a goal in the first period and extended his point streak to six games.
Anthony Mantha
A forward for the Detroit Red Wings who scored a goal in the first period, continuing his career-best season.
Egor Chinakov
A forward for the Pittsburgh Penguins who scored a goal and recorded an assist in the first period.
Evgeni Malkin
A veteran forward for the Pittsburgh Penguins who returned to the lineup after missing time due to an upper-body injury and recorded an assist.
Dylan Larkin
The captain of the Detroit Red Wings who scored a goal to reach the 30-goal plateau for the fifth straight season.
What they’re saying
“We must continue to play with this kind of energy and intensity if we want to secure a playoff spot.”
— Mike Sullivan, Head Coach, Pittsburgh Penguins
“We're in a tough spot right now, but we can't give up. We have to find a way to turn this around in the final stretch.”
— Dylan Larkin, Captain, Detroit Red Wings
What’s next
The Penguins will look to continue their push for the playoffs when they visit the Tampa Bay Lightning on Thursday. The Red Wings, meanwhile, will try to get back on track when they travel to face the Philadelphia Flyers, also on Thursday.
The takeaway
This game highlighted the contrasting fortunes of the two teams, with the Penguins solidifying their playoff position and the Red Wings continuing to struggle. Pittsburgh's strong start and balanced scoring attack proved too much for Detroit to overcome, underscoring the Penguins' ability to win important games down the stretch.
