Scoring is not the primary goal for the Pittsburgh Penguins bottom six forwards. The Pittsburgh Penguins entered Motown on a two-game winning streak and looked to carry their momentum over the Detroit Red Wings. After a couple of days off, the Penguins were hungry to get rolling and wasted no time in finding a lead. Before fans could even settle into their seats, Evgeni Malkin rolled along with his hot start to the season and added another reason to prove ESPN wrong. Malkin and newcomer Reilly Smith have already shown their outstanding chemistry, but it was on display yet again for this game’s opening tally. Smith fed a pass through numerous bodies finding Malkin who was able to tap home a one-time shot. The goal not only pushed Malkin’s hot start forward, but also gave him sole possession of third all-time in goals among Russian-born players. Following a failed power play opportunity, the Penguins lost that early mojo and looked flat, and it bit them a couple of times. Red Wings newcomer, and suburban Detroit native, Alex DeBrincat knotted the score at one before heading into the first intermission. Following the break, the Red Wings carried their stride and took a 2-1 lead off of their first shot of the second period. While playing from behind, the Penguins struggled to find any spark and looked flat for a good majority of the frame. The Red Wings took full advantage of the Penguins struggles and added to their lead. A point shot from former Penguins defenseman Jeff Petry was tipped by Andrew Copp past Tristan Jarry. Coming into this contest, the Red Wings had the NHL’s most productive power play and it capitalized on another opportunity. This time, it gave the Red Wings a healthy 4-1 lead over the Penguins before a scrappy end to the period. With both penalty boxes full the Penguins desperately needed to find their footing in the final frame. Erik Karlsson would answer early with his first goal in a Penguins uniform to cut into the Red Wings’ lead. As the third period dragged on, the Penguins seemed to have a little more push, but Red Wings goalie Ville Husso was standing strong. Husso was making the stops until a Karlsson shot was deflected by Bryan Rust to push the Penguins within a goal. Rust has had a respectable start to the season, as well, with four goals in the opening four games of the season. With the clock winding down and the Penguins nearing 20 shots on goal in the period, Jarry was pulled for the extra attacker. The Red Wings wasted no time in taking advantage of the open cage after Malkin couldn't accept a pass at the point. Despite an offside challenge, the goal stood and the Red Wings tacked on another empty netter to find a 6-3 lead. The Penguins carried momentum in the final frame, but not enough to climb back into the contest. Make sure you bookmark Inside the Penguins [http://insidethepenguins.com/]for the latest news, exclusive interviews, breakdowns and so much more. Evgeni Malkin Moves Up In Russian-Born Goal Scoring [https://thehockeynews.com/nhl/pittsburgh-penguins/latest-news/pittsburgh-penguins-evgeni-malkin-moves-russian-goal-scoring] Penguins Keep Separating From Ron Hextall Era [https://thehockeynews.com/nhl/pittsburgh-penguins/podcasts/pittsburgh-penguins-separating-ron-hextall-era] Penguins Look To Terminate Newly Acquired Contract [https://thehockeynews.com/nhl/pittsburgh-penguins/latest-news/pittsburgh-penguins-terminate-karel-plasek-contract] Penguins Starting Better Than Getting Credit For [https://thehockeynews.com/nhl/pittsburgh-penguins/players/pittsburgh-penguins-starting-better-getting-credit] Penguins Defender Excelling in New Role [https://thehockeynews.com/nhl/pittsburgh-penguins/players/pittsburgh-penguins-kris-letang-excelling-new-role] * undefined * undefined
