Detroit Red Wings soar in 3-2 shootout win over Penguins as Calvin Pickard sharp in net

PITTSBURGH — Calvin Pickard got a doozy of an assignment for his first start of the season: Sidney Crosby and the high-octane Pittsburgh Penguins.

With No. 1 goalie Alex Nedeljkovic having made seven straight starts and backup Thomas Greiss unavailable, the Detroit Red Wings went with Pickard on Friday night at PPG Paints Arena. He made 36 saves, including stopping Crosby on a breakaway, and Lucas Raymond capped the game with a shootout goal that gave the Wings a 3-2 victory.

It was a fitting end to a well-played game for the Wings (19-19-6), ending a three-game skid.

Moritz Seider got into it with Crosby in the final minutes of regulation, earning offsetting roughing penalties. Dylan Larkin started overtime with a terrific chance, firing a shot from the bottom of the right circle, one of four chances the Wings had in the extra period.

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Humbled by how careless they were with the puck in their previous outing, the Wings came out with a strong first period, generating good offensive-zone time and limiting the Penguins’ chances against Pickard. Givani Smith capped the period with a goal, and the Wings retook the lead in the second period when Filip Zadina scored for the first time since Nov. 30.

The momentum the Wings built off that lasted less than a minute into the third period. Crosby fired the puck in from the boards, and Jake Guentzel capitalized on having no one on him to score his second goal of the night.

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