Wings beat Penguins for third straight home win
DETROIT -- Gustav Nyquist scored twice, and the Detroit Red Wings extended their home-ice winning streak to a season-high three games with a 4-1 victory over the Pittsburgh Penguins on Sunday.
Frans Nielsen and Dylan Larkin also scored for the Wings, who got 37 saves from goalie Jimmy Howard.
Evgeni Malkin scored for the Penguins.
Detroit last won three straight home games from Jan. 14-18, 2017.
The Reds Wings (15-16-7) opened the scoring at 11:31 of the first period. Nyquist accepted a pass from Henrik Zetterberg, cut into the high slot and, using Penguins defenseman Frank Corrado as a screen, whipped a high shot past Pittsburgh goalie Matt Murray (19 saves).
The score became 2-0 at the 59-second mark of the second period. Larkin tore down the right wing, got around Malkin and slipped a shot past Murray as he skated in front of the Pittsburgh net.
The Penguins (19-18-3) combined a power play and video review to get on the board at 8:04 of the second period. Phil Kessel zipped a cross-ice pass to Malkin, but Howard slid across to make a brilliant glove save on Malkin's quick shot. Replay, though, clearly displayed that Howard's glove was across the goal line when he caught the puck, and it was ruled a goal.
The Red Wings reclaimed their two-goal advantage on Nielsen's 10th of the season at 15:18 of the second. Just inside the faceoff circle on the left wing, Nielsen wound up for a slap shot. However, as Murray began dropping into the butterfly, Nielsen pulled up and slipped a low shot under Murray's outstretched right leg.
Nyquist completed the scoring at 16:34 of the third period when he backhanded the rebound of a Tyler Bertuzzi shot past Murray.
NOTES: RW Anthony Mantha, who leads the Red Wings with 13 goals, participated in the morning skate but missed his second consecutive game due to a groin injury. ... C Luke Glendening (hand) and D/RW Luke Witkowski were also scratched by Detroit. ... Former Red Wings C Riley Sheahan played his first game in Detroit since he was traded to the Penguins on Oct. 21. ... RW Daniel Sprong, tied for second in the AHL with 18 goals, made his season debut for the Penguins. He was recalled Saturday from Wilkes-Barre/Scranton. ... LW Garrett Wilson, D Andrey Pedan and G Casey DeSmith were scratched by the Penguins. ... Red Wings D Trevor Daley, who was part of Pittsburgh's Stanley Cup teams the past two springs, played for the first time against his former team.