Pickard, Red Wings use shootout to hand Penguins second loss in row

PITTSBURGH-- Calvin Pickard made 36 saves for his first NHL win since last March, and the Detroit Red Wings defeated the Pittsburgh Penguins 3-2 in a shootout at PPG Paints Arena on Friday.

"Wanted to get out there tonight and have a good start," Pickard said. "Guys played really well in front of me. Some timely goals. We had the puck a lot tonight. Limited their time and space. It was nice to get the shootout win. … Any game in the NHL you win, it's a really good feeling. I obviously want to build off it."
Givani Smith and Filip Zadina scored for the Red Wings (19-19-6), who had lost three in a row. Pickard last won March 28, 2021, against the Columbus Blue Jackets. He was 0-2-1 since then.
Jake Guentzel scored twice, Sidney Crosby had two assists, and Casey DeSmith made 30 saves for the Penguins (27-10-7), who are 6-0-2 on an eight-game point streak, including a 2-1 overtime loss to the Seattle Kraken on Thursday that followed a 17-2-0 stretch.
"We have capable guys on every line right now," Pittsburgh coach Mike Sullivan said. "We just have to find a way to finish. I thought we played a better game tonight. We knew this was going to be a tough game, playing back-to-back."

Guentzel tied it 2-2 on a one-timer from the slot off a feed from Crosby 27 seconds into the third period.
Lucas Raymond scored the only goal in the shootout in the first round. Guentzel shot wide, and Pickard made saves against Crosby and Kris Letang.
Smith gave the Red Wings a 1-0 lead at 18:19 of the first period. After a shot from Sam Gagner produced a rebound, Smith spun off Penguins defenseman John Marino in front of the crease for a backhand.
Guentzel tied it 1-1 with a power-play goal at 5:54 of the second period, scoring on a rebound off a slap shot from Crosby that hit Evgeni Malkin in front. The goal ended Guentzel's three-game point drought, which was his longest this season.
"We knew we needed to take another step in the second period there," Guentzel said. "I thought we did that. I thought we controlled the play and got to the front of the net, which we needed to do to try to disrupt their goaltender."
Zadina scored on a power play to give the Red Wings a 2-1 lead at 16:31. Nick Leddy shot into traffic and Zadina scored on a wrist shot near the crease before Marino could make a clear.
"I'm not saying we outplayed them," Detroit coach Jeff Blashill said. "They certainly had their chances. But I think we did a lot of things that you have to do in order to beat good teams, have a chance to beat good teams and to win on the road. I thought we did a much better job of managing the puck. Much, much, much better.
"Certainly, weren't perfect. They had a lot of chances. They're a good team. But I thought we did a real good job of that."

Dylan Larkin had a chance to win it for Detroit 37 seconds into overtime on a 2-on-1 with Raymond, but DeSmith pushed to his left and stretched for a glove save. DeSmith was pulled in his previous two starts, with five goals allowed on 28 shots in 53:49.
"It felt good to be in the game until the end and make some good saves and hold the team in it," DeSmith said. "Obviously, I hate losing, so it hurts. Would have loved to have that one."
NOTES: Pickard started for the first time since making 31 saves in a 5-4 overtime loss to the Blue Jackets on May 8, 2021. He allowed three goals on 18 shots in relief of Alex Nedeljkovic in his other game this season, an 8-5 loss to the Chicago Blackhawks on Wednesday. The 29-year-old is 3-4-1 in 11 games in three seasons with Detroit. ... Red Wings defenseman Gustav Lindstrom played 17:39 after missing one game with an undisclosed injury. ... Pittsburgh had a 33-21 shots on goal advantage after rearranging three of its lines following the first period, when it was outshot 11-5. Evan Rodrigues moved to second-line right wing in place of Kasperi Kapanen, who dropped to that spot on the fourth line. Jeff Carter was center on the third line with Zach Aston-Reese and Dominik Simon after beginning the game on the line with Danton Heinen and Rodrigues.