Penguins Overpower Slumping Red Wings in 5-1 Victory

Egor Chinakhov's goal and assist lead Pittsburgh to second place in Metropolitan Division

Apr. 1, 2026 at 6:05am

Got story updates? Submit your updates here. ›

The Pittsburgh Penguins defeated the visiting Detroit Red Wings 5-1 on Tuesday, led by Egor Chinakhov's goal and assist. The Penguins have won two straight and are 3-1-0 in their last four games, outscoring opponents 14-4 during that stretch. Goaltender Stuart Skinner made 22 saves for the win, while the Red Wings' Dylan Larkin scored his 30th goal of the season in the loss.

Why it matters

The Penguins' recent strong play has elevated them into second place in the Metropolitan Division, while the Red Wings have fallen outside the Eastern Conference playoff picture and are battling with four other teams for the final wild-card spot.

The details

Rickard Rakell, Anthony Mantha, Justin Brazeau and Noel Acciari also scored for the Penguins. Evgeni Malkin recorded an assist in his return after missing four games with an upper-body injury. The Red Wings' Cam Talbot stopped 15 of 17 shots in relief of starter John Gibson, who allowed three goals on 14 shots in the first period.

  • The Penguins' big opening frame began on Rakell's goal at the 4:10 mark of the first period.
  • At 8:34 of the first period, a scrum in front of the Red Wings' net led to Mantha's goal.
  • Chinakhov extended the Penguins' lead at 18:02 of the first period.
  • Larkin scored the Red Wings' lone goal on the power play at 3:17 of the second period.
  • Brazeau restored Pittsburgh's three-goal lead by tipping in a shot at 12:26 of the second period.

The players

Egor Chinakhov

A forward for the Pittsburgh Penguins who had a goal and an assist in the game.

Stuart Skinner

The Penguins' goaltender who made 22 saves to earn the win.

Dylan Larkin

The Red Wings' captain who scored his 30th goal of the season in the loss.

Cam Talbot

The Red Wings' goaltender who replaced starter John Gibson and stopped 15 of 17 shots.

Evgeni Malkin

The Penguins' veteran forward who recorded an assist in his return from an upper-body injury.

Got photos? Submit your photos here. ›

What they’re saying

“We must continue to play with this level of intensity and execution if we want to maintain our position in the standings.”

— Mike Sullivan, Penguins Head Coach

“We're in a tough spot right now, but we have to find a way to dig deep and get back into the playoff race.”

— Dylan Larkin, Red Wings Captain

What’s next

The Penguins will look to continue their strong play on Thursday when they host the Carolina Hurricanes. The Red Wings will try to bounce back on Saturday when they visit the Tampa Bay Lightning.

The takeaway

The Penguins' recent surge has them firmly in playoff position, while the Red Wings' struggles have them on the outside looking in. This game highlighted the contrast between a team finding its stride and one fighting to stay in the postseason race.