Pittsburgh Penguins at Detroit Red Wings
NHL game between the Pittsburgh Penguins and the Detroit Red Wings on Jan 03, 2026. Final score: Pittsburgh Penguins 4, Detroit Red Wings 1.
| Status | Final |
|---|---|
| Date | Jan 03, 2026 |
| Venue | Little Caesars Arena |
| Pittsburgh Penguins score | 4 |
| Detroit Red Wings score | 1 |
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 | Parker Wotherspoon | D | 0 | 2 | 1 | 17:33 | 0.10 | 1.74 |
| 2nd | Bryan Rust | R | 1 | 0 | 5 | 18:06 | 0.71 | 1.45 |
| 3rd | Sidney Crosby | C | 0 | 2 | 1 | 17:11 | 0.04 | 1.44 |
Scoring Summary
| Time | Team | Goal | Assists | Strength | Score (Pittsburgh Penguins–Detroit Red Wings) |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1st 03:44 | PIT | Bryan Rust | Sidney Crosby, Parker Wotherspoon | 5v5 | 1–0 |
| 1st 17:30 | PIT | Yegor Chinakhov | Ben Kindel, Parker Wotherspoon | 5v5 | 2–0 |
| 2nd 15:06 | DET | Alex DeBrincat | — | 5v5 | 2–1 |
Team Comparison
| Pittsburgh Penguins | Detroit Red Wings | |
|---|---|---|
| Goals | 2 | 1 |
| Shots on goal | 29 | 12 |
| Expected goals (xG) | 2.19 | 1.25 |
| High-danger shots | 9 | 7 |
| Corsi % | 56.2% | 43.8% |
| Power play | 0/2 | 0/2 |
| Faceoff % | 54.4% | 45.6% |
| Hits | 18 | 19 |
| Blocks | 13 | 11 |
| Giveaways | 14 | 18 |
| Takeaways | 8 | 2 |
Pittsburgh Penguins Skaters
| Player | Pos | G | A | P | SOG | TOI | xG | Game Score |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Parker Wotherspoon | D | 0 | 2 | 2 | 1 | 17:33 | 0.10 | 1.74 |
| Bryan Rust | R | 1 | 0 | 1 | 5 | 18:06 | 0.71 | 1.45 |
| Sidney Crosby | C | 0 | 2 | 2 | 1 | 17:11 | 0.04 | 1.44 |
| Rickard Rakell | R | 1 | 0 | 1 | 6 | 18:08 | 0.26 | 1.33 |
| Yegor Chinakhov | R | 1 | 0 | 1 | 3 | 11:06 | 0.16 | 0.94 |
| Connor Dewar | C | 1 | 0 | 1 | 3 | 12:44 | 0.16 | 0.88 |
| Erik Karlsson | D | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 19:45 | 0.14 | 0.78 |
| Ben Kindel | C | 0 | 1 | 1 | 0 | 12:14 | 0.00 | 0.73 |
| Ryan Shea | D | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 17:17 | 0.00 | 0.34 |
| Jack St. Ivany | D | 0 | 0 | 0 | 2 | 15:16 | 0.18 | 0.16 |
| Rutger McGroarty | R | 0 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 11:13 | 0.03 | 0.12 |
| Justin Brazeau | R | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 13:00 | 0.16 | 0.12 |
| Kris Letang | D | 0 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 20:51 | 0.05 | 0.10 |
| Anthony Mantha | R | 0 | 0 | 0 | 3 | 13:43 | 0.20 | 0.08 |
| Blake Lizotte | C | 0 | 1 | 1 | 0 | 13:13 | 0.00 | 0.07 |
| Noel Acciari | C | 0 | 0 | 0 | 2 | 12:11 | 0.12 | 0.04 |
| Tommy Novak | C | 0 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 13:07 | 0.04 | -0.11 |
| Brett Kulak | D | 0 | 1 | 1 | 2 | 18:32 | 0.15 | -0.11 |
Detroit Red Wings Skaters
| Player | Pos | G | A | P | SOG | TOI | xG | Game Score |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Alex DeBrincat | R | 1 | 0 | 1 | 4 | 16:16 | 0.21 | 0.81 |
| Ben Chiarot | D | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 19:29 | 0.00 | 0.44 |
| Jacob Bernard-Docker | D | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 13:22 | 0.00 | 0.40 |
| Andrew Copp | C | 0 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 15:20 | 0.35 | 0.38 |
| Patrick Kane | R | 0 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 15:19 | 0.32 | 0.17 |
| Axel Sandin-Pellikka | D | 0 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 14:47 | 0.04 | 0.12 |
| J.T. Compher | L | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 12:42 | 0.02 | 0.10 |
| Marco Kasper | C | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 12:38 | 0.00 | 0.03 |
| Albert Johansson | D | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 14:52 | 0.05 | 0.03 |
| Nate Danielson | C | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 10:48 | 0.02 | 0.03 |
| James van Riemsdyk | L | 0 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 9:59 | 0.25 | 0.01 |
| Mason Appleton | C | 0 | 0 | 0 | 2 | 13:34 | 0.02 | 0.00 |
| Michael Rasmussen | C | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 12:13 | 0.06 | -0.18 |
| Emmitt Finnie | C | 0 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 13:31 | 0.02 | -0.19 |
| Lucas Raymond | L | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 16:06 | 0.02 | -0.26 |
| Dylan Larkin | C | 0 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 17:30 | 0.14 | -0.68 |
| Moritz Seider | D | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 25:20 | 0.04 | -0.96 |
| Simon Edvinsson | D | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 21:24 | 0.00 | -1.43 |
Goaltending
| Goalie | Team | SV | SA | SV% | GSAx | Decision |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Stuart Skinner | Pittsburgh Penguins | 11 | 12 | 91.7% | 0.50 | W |
| John Gibson | Detroit Red Wings | 27 | 29 | 93.1% | 0.38 | L |
Analysis
The Pittsburgh Penguins defeated the Detroit Red Wings 4–1 on Jan 03, 2026.
Detroit Red Wings generated 1.25 expected goals to Pittsburgh Penguins's 2.19 — the run of play matched the result, with Pittsburgh Penguins earning the better chances as well as the goals.
Parker Wotherspoon led all skaters with a Game Score of 1.74 on 2 assists, 1 shots on goal.
Frequently Asked Questions
Who won the Pittsburgh Penguins vs Detroit Red Wings game?
The Pittsburgh Penguins beat the Detroit Red Wings 4–1 on Jan 03, 2026.
What was the final score?
The final score was Pittsburgh Penguins 4, Detroit Red Wings 1.
Who was the best player in this game?
By Game Score — a single-number summary of everything a skater did — Parker Wotherspoon led all skaters at 1.74, on 0G, 2A and 1 shots on goal.
Which team deserved to win by expected goals?
Detroit Red Wings generated 1.25 expected goals and Pittsburgh Penguins generated 2.19, so Pittsburgh Penguins created the better chances. That matches the result.
What were the shot totals?
Pittsburgh Penguins put 29 shots on goal and Detroit Red Wings put 12. High-danger chances went 9 to 7.