Detroit Red Wings at Pittsburgh Penguins
NHL game between the Detroit Red Wings and the Pittsburgh Penguins on Mar 31, 2026. Final score: Detroit Red Wings 1, Pittsburgh Penguins 5.
| Status | Final |
|---|---|
| Date | Mar 31, 2026 |
| Venue | PPG Paints Arena |
| Detroit Red Wings score | 1 |
| Pittsburgh Penguins score | 5 |
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 | Connor Clifton | D | 0 | 1 | 0 | 17:10 | 0.00 | 2.19 |
| 2nd | Ryan Shea | D | 0 | 1 | 0 | 17:20 | 0.03 | 2.05 |
| 3rd | Yegor Chinakhov | R | 1 | 1 | 1 | 17:05 | 0.41 | 1.82 |
Scoring Summary
| Time | Team | Goal | Assists | Strength | Score (Detroit Red Wings–Pittsburgh Penguins) |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1st 04:10 | PIT | Rickard Rakell | Sidney Crosby, Yegor Chinakhov | 5v5 | 0–1 |
| 1st 08:34 | PIT | Anthony Mantha | Evgeni Malkin, Connor Dewar | 5v5 | 0–2 |
| 1st 18:02 | PIT | Yegor Chinakhov | Kris Letang | 5v5 | 0–3 |
| 2nd 03:17 | DET | Dylan Larkin | Patrick Kane | 4v5 | 1–3 |
| 2nd 12:23 | PIT | Justin Brazeau | Connor Clifton | 5v5 | 1–4 |
| 3rd 12:09 | PIT | Noel Acciari | Ryan Shea, Elmer Soderblom | 5v5 | 1–5 |
Team Comparison
| Detroit Red Wings | Pittsburgh Penguins | |
|---|---|---|
| Goals | 1 | 5 |
| Shots on goal | 23 | 31 |
| Expected goals (xG) | 3.16 | 3.75 |
| High-danger shots | 11 | 24 |
| Corsi % | 46.3% | 53.7% |
| Power play | 1/1 | 0/3 |
| Faceoff % | 52.5% | 47.5% |
| Hits | 32 | 18 |
| Blocks | 13 | 13 |
| Giveaways | 17 | 13 |
| Takeaways | 5 | 6 |
Detroit Red Wings Skaters
| Player | Pos | G | A | P | SOG | TOI | xG | Game Score |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Patrick Kane | R | 0 | 1 | 1 | 2 | 17:41 | 0.13 | 1.09 |
| Andrew Copp | C | 0 | 0 | 0 | 2 | 17:34 | 0.35 | 0.76 |
| Alex DeBrincat | R | 0 | 0 | 0 | 4 | 18:26 | 0.97 | 0.74 |
| Dylan Larkin | C | 1 | 0 | 1 | 2 | 14:10 | 0.23 | 0.30 |
| Simon Edvinsson | D | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 22:09 | 0.04 | -0.03 |
| Ben Chiarot | D | 0 | 0 | 0 | 2 | 19:29 | 0.05 | -0.06 |
| Carter Mazur | L | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 6:54 | 0.00 | -0.13 |
| Jacob Bernard-Docker | D | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 14:47 | 0.00 | -0.23 |
| Mason Appleton | C | 0 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 16:33 | 0.12 | -0.33 |
| Marco Kasper | C | 0 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 13:57 | 0.16 | -0.42 |
| Moritz Seider | D | 0 | 0 | 0 | 2 | 21:51 | 0.12 | -0.44 |
| Justin Faulk | D | 0 | 0 | 0 | 2 | 22:40 | 0.13 | -0.48 |
| Emmitt Finnie | C | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 13:12 | 0.00 | -0.53 |
| J.T. Compher | L | 0 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 13:48 | 0.08 | -0.60 |
| Lucas Raymond | L | 0 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 13:54 | 0.12 | -0.60 |
| David Perron | L | 0 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 12:17 | 0.23 | -0.61 |
| James van Riemsdyk | L | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 13:26 | 0.00 | -0.74 |
| Albert Johansson | D | 0 | 0 | 0 | 2 | 19:14 | 0.10 | -0.78 |
Pittsburgh Penguins Skaters
| Player | Pos | G | A | P | SOG | TOI | xG | Game Score |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Connor Clifton | D | 0 | 1 | 1 | 0 | 17:10 | 0.00 | 2.19 |
| Ryan Shea | D | 0 | 1 | 1 | 0 | 17:20 | 0.03 | 2.05 |
| Yegor Chinakhov | R | 1 | 1 | 2 | 1 | 17:05 | 0.41 | 1.82 |
| Anthony Mantha | R | 1 | 0 | 1 | 4 | 17:09 | 0.44 | 1.61 |
| Evgeni Malkin | C | 0 | 1 | 1 | 5 | 17:35 | 0.37 | 1.57 |
| Sidney Crosby | C | 0 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 18:10 | 0.02 | 1.30 |
| Connor Dewar | C | 0 | 1 | 1 | 2 | 13:57 | 0.26 | 1.22 |
| Elmer Soderblom | L | 0 | 1 | 1 | 2 | 14:39 | 0.17 | 1.05 |
| Rickard Rakell | R | 1 | 0 | 1 | 2 | 18:02 | 0.14 | 1.04 |
| Noel Acciari | C | 1 | 0 | 1 | 4 | 14:32 | 0.47 | 1.00 |
| Kris Letang | D | 0 | 1 | 1 | 0 | 19:19 | 0.00 | 0.93 |
| Justin Brazeau | R | 1 | 0 | 1 | 2 | 11:43 | 0.28 | 0.88 |
| Tommy Novak | C | 0 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 16:05 | 0.27 | 0.47 |
| Samuel Girard | D | 0 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 17:58 | 0.01 | 0.23 |
| Erik Karlsson | D | 0 | 0 | 0 | 4 | 22:48 | 0.12 | -0.11 |
| Ben Kindel | C | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 14:12 | 0.08 | -0.13 |
| Parker Wotherspoon | D | 0 | 0 | 0 | 3 | 20:31 | 0.15 | -0.22 |
| Avery Hayes | R | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 9:40 | 0.01 | -0.24 |
Goaltending
| Goalie | Team | SV | SA | SV% | GSAx | Decision |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Cam Talbot | Detroit Red Wings | 16 | 18 | 88.2% | 0.18 | |
| John Gibson | Detroit Red Wings | 11 | 14 | 78.6% | -1.94 | L |
| Stuart Skinner | Pittsburgh Penguins | 22 | 23 | 95.7% | 1.83 | W |
Analysis
The Pittsburgh Penguins defeated the Detroit Red Wings 5–1 on Mar 31, 2026, a decisive 4-goal win.
Pittsburgh Penguins generated 3.75 expected goals to Detroit Red Wings's 3.16 — the run of play matched the result, with Pittsburgh Penguins earning the better chances as well as the goals.
Connor Clifton led all skaters with a Game Score of 2.19 on 1 assist.
Stuart Skinner stopped 22 of 23, worth 1.83 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 5–1 on Mar 31, 2026.
What was the final score?
The final score was Pittsburgh Penguins 5, Detroit Red Wings 1.
Who was the best player in this game?
By Game Score — a single-number summary of everything a skater did — Connor Clifton led all skaters at 2.19, on 0G, 1A and 0 shots on goal.
Which team deserved to win by expected goals?
Pittsburgh Penguins generated 3.75 expected goals and Detroit Red Wings generated 3.16, so Pittsburgh Penguins created the better chances. That matches the result.
What were the shot totals?
Detroit Red Wings put 23 shots on goal and Pittsburgh Penguins put 31. High-danger chances went 11 to 24.
How did the goaltenders play?
Cam Talbot stopped 16 of 18 (0.18 goals saved above expected); Stuart Skinner stopped 22 of 23 (1.83 goals saved above expected).