Detroit Red Wings at Pittsburgh Penguins
NHL game between the Detroit Red Wings and the Pittsburgh Penguins on Jan 02, 2026. Final score: Detroit Red Wings 3, Pittsburgh Penguins 4.
| Status | Final |
|---|---|
| Date | Jan 02, 2026 |
| Venue | PPG Paints Arena |
| Detroit Red Wings score | 3 |
| Pittsburgh Penguins score | 4 |
Shot charts, expected goals (xG), Game Score and advanced box scores for this game are available on Hockey Alchemy.
Three Stars by Game Score
Ranked by Game Score, which rolls goals, assists, shot quality, play-driving and penalties into one number — so the best player is chosen by the box score, not by a vote.
| Player | Pos | G | A | SOG | TOI | xG | Game Score | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1st | Sidney Crosby | C | 2 | 1 | 4 | 18:27 | 0.23 | 1.94 |
| 2nd | Erik Karlsson | D | 0 | 2 | 1 | 22:34 | 0.11 | 1.43 |
| 3rd | Alex DeBrincat | R | 1 | 0 | 3 | 17:08 | 1.00 | 0.95 |
Scoring Summary
| Time | Team | Goal | Assists | Strength | Score (Detroit Red Wings–Pittsburgh Penguins) |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1st 04:08 | PIT | Sidney Crosby | Anthony Mantha, Erik Karlsson | 5v4 | 0–1 |
| 1st 05:46 | PIT | Sidney Crosby | — | 5v5 | 0–2 |
| 1st 17:46 | DET | James van Riemsdyk | Marco Kasper, Simon Edvinsson | 4v5 | 1–2 |
| 2nd 01:01 | DET | Andrew Copp | Ben Chiarot, Patrick Kane | 5v5 | 2–2 |
| 3rd 15:51 | PIT | Blake Lizotte | Erik Karlsson, Parker Wotherspoon | 5v5 | 2–3 |
| 3rd 17:02 | DET | Alex DeBrincat | Lucas Raymond, Dylan Larkin | 4v5 | 3–3 |
| OT 00:58 | PIT | Kris Letang | Sidney Crosby, Bryan Rust | 3v3 | 3–4 |
Team Comparison
| Detroit Red Wings | Pittsburgh Penguins | |
|---|---|---|
| Goals | 3 | 4 |
| Shots on goal | 27 | 31 |
| Expected goals (xG) | 3.06 | 2.37 |
| High-danger shots | 18 | 13 |
| Corsi % | 50.8% | 49.2% |
| Power play | 2/7 | 1/3 |
| Faceoff % | 47.4% | 52.6% |
| Hits | 21 | 15 |
| Blocks | 17 | 18 |
| Giveaways | 9 | 11 |
| Takeaways | 4 | 4 |
Detroit Red Wings Skaters
| Player | Pos | G | A | P | SOG | TOI | xG | Game Score |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Alex DeBrincat | R | 1 | 0 | 1 | 3 | 17:08 | 1.00 | 0.95 |
| Andrew Copp | C | 1 | 0 | 1 | 2 | 16:46 | 0.45 | 0.90 |
| Simon Edvinsson | D | 0 | 1 | 1 | 3 | 22:24 | 0.05 | 0.89 |
| Marco Kasper | C | 0 | 1 | 1 | 0 | 9:06 | 0.00 | 0.79 |
| Ben Chiarot | D | 0 | 1 | 1 | 0 | 19:54 | 0.00 | 0.79 |
| James van Riemsdyk | L | 1 | 0 | 1 | 2 | 10:01 | 0.33 | 0.75 |
| Dylan Larkin | C | 0 | 1 | 1 | 0 | 23:32 | 0.10 | 0.64 |
| Patrick Kane | R | 0 | 1 | 1 | 4 | 15:41 | 0.20 | 0.64 |
| Lucas Raymond | L | 0 | 1 | 1 | 2 | 21:58 | 0.16 | 0.49 |
| Jacob Bernard-Docker | D | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 11:40 | 0.02 | 0.25 |
| Moritz Seider | D | 0 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 26:10 | 0.01 | 0.15 |
| Mason Appleton | C | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 15:02 | 0.00 | 0.10 |
| Emmitt Finnie | C | 0 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 17:21 | 0.38 | 0.05 |
| Michael Rasmussen | C | 0 | 0 | 0 | 6 | 15:39 | 0.13 | 0.05 |
| Axel Sandin-Pellikka | D | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 12:43 | 0.05 | 0.00 |
| J.T. Compher | L | 0 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 16:41 | 0.18 | 0.00 |
| Albert Johansson | D | 0 | 0 | 0 | 2 | 15:12 | 0.05 | 0.00 |
| Nate Danielson | C | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 11:44 | 0.00 | -0.15 |
Pittsburgh Penguins Skaters
| Player | Pos | G | A | P | SOG | TOI | xG | Game Score |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Sidney Crosby | C | 2 | 1 | 3 | 4 | 18:27 | 0.23 | 1.94 |
| Erik Karlsson | D | 0 | 2 | 2 | 1 | 22:34 | 0.11 | 1.43 |
| Kris Letang | D | 1 | 0 | 1 | 2 | 22:16 | 0.19 | 0.85 |
| Parker Wotherspoon | D | 0 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 19:23 | 0.04 | 0.74 |
| Blake Lizotte | C | 1 | 0 | 1 | 1 | 14:29 | 0.10 | 0.65 |
| Anthony Mantha | R | 0 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 11:42 | 0.02 | 0.64 |
| Bryan Rust | R | 0 | 1 | 1 | 2 | 20:56 | 0.66 | 0.59 |
| Connor Dewar | C | 0 | 0 | 0 | 2 | 16:02 | 0.05 | 0.20 |
| Yegor Chinakhov | R | 0 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 11:06 | 0.01 | 0.15 |
| Ryan Shea | D | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 17:21 | 0.00 | 0.10 |
| Noel Acciari | C | 0 | 0 | 0 | 2 | 16:27 | 0.16 | 0.05 |
| Justin Brazeau | R | 0 | 0 | 0 | 3 | 11:07 | 0.55 | 0.00 |
| Ben Kindel | C | 0 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 13:07 | 0.03 | 0.00 |
| Rickard Rakell | R | 0 | 0 | 0 | 4 | 18:10 | 0.32 | 0.00 |
| Rutger McGroarty | R | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 8:44 | 0.00 | 0.00 |
| Jack St. Ivany | D | 0 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 15:47 | 0.09 | -0.05 |
| Brett Kulak | D | 0 | 0 | 0 | 3 | 20:08 | 0.04 | -0.05 |
| Tommy Novak | C | 0 | 0 | 0 | 2 | 10:53 | 0.07 | -0.30 |
Goaltending
| Goalie | Team | SV | SA | SV% | GSAx | Decision |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Cam Talbot | Detroit Red Wings | 27 | 31 | 87.1% | -0.77 | O |
| Arturs Silovs | Pittsburgh Penguins | 24 | 27 | 88.9% | 0.88 | W |
Analysis
The Pittsburgh Penguins defeated the Detroit Red Wings 4–3 on Jan 02, 2026, a one-goal game.
Pittsburgh Penguins generated 2.37 expected goals to Detroit Red Wings's 3.06 — Detroit Red Wings owned the better of the chances but Pittsburgh Penguins took the game, the kind of split that usually means finishing or goaltending decided it.
Sidney Crosby led all skaters with a Game Score of 1.94 on 2 goals, 1 assist, 4 shots on goal.
Arturs Silovs stopped 24 of 27, worth 0.88 goals saved above expected.
Frequently Asked Questions
Who won the Detroit Red Wings vs Pittsburgh Penguins game?
The Pittsburgh Penguins beat the Detroit Red Wings 4–3 on Jan 02, 2026.
What was the final score?
The final score was Pittsburgh Penguins 4, Detroit Red Wings 3.
Who was the best player in this game?
By Game Score — a single-number summary of everything a skater did — Sidney Crosby led all skaters at 1.94, on 2G, 1A and 4 shots on goal.
Which team deserved to win by expected goals?
Pittsburgh Penguins generated 2.37 expected goals and Detroit Red Wings generated 3.06, so Detroit Red Wings created the better chances. The scoreboard went the other way, which points to finishing or goaltending.
What were the shot totals?
Detroit Red Wings put 27 shots on goal and Pittsburgh Penguins put 31. High-danger chances went 18 to 13.
How did the goaltenders play?
Cam Talbot stopped 27 of 31 (-0.77 goals saved above expected); Arturs Silovs stopped 24 of 27 (0.88 goals saved above expected).