O’Connor Busts Slump, But PK Stumbles in Hard Loss to Detroit

DETROIT — The Pittsburgh Penguins (17-17-5) never led as they battled back for most of the game until the Detroit Red Wings (15-18-4) later third-period power-play goal by J.T. Compher provided the dramatic game-winner as Detroit beat the Penguins 4-2 at Little Caesars Arena.

Penguins defenseman Erik Karlsson tripped Compher to give Detroit the winning power play. Detroit is now 2-1 under new coach Todd McClellan, having won two in a row. Dylan Larkin scored the empty netter.

Penguins forward Drew O’Connor has been colder than a Winnipeg night. He last scored a goal on Oct. 18, a span of 32 games without lighting the lamp. Following an inspired penalty kill earlier in the period in which he stickhandled around several defenders, channeling his inner Sidney Crosby, he accelerated the momentum.

By midway through the third period, each team had two goals, and O’Connor had both Penguins’ markers.

O’Connor (4) finally shed the slump that has dogged him since the first weeks of the season, snapping a one-timer past Detroit goalie Alex Lyon at 18:29 of the first period.

Early in the third period, O’Connor finally finished one of the several net-front scrums that tantalized the Penguins but had not yet yielded results. O’Connor buried the greasy goal at 3:18 of the third to tie the game, 2-2.

Detroit is still showing off for new head coach Todd McLellan. Their energy and intensity carried the first eight minutes of the game, culminating in Jonatan Berggren’s long breakaway and goal at 7:52 of the first. Berggren got behind Marcus

Detroit again dominated the opening minutes of the period in the second frame. Detroit had the first seven shots of the period, and Patrik Kane notched his 1301st career point with a laser shot from the right circle at 3:41. It was a power play goal.

That was the only scoring in the second period, though the Penguins had Lyon down and out a few times, including in the final 20 seconds of the second period. In the mad scramble for the puck, Penguins winger Anthony Beauvillier snapped what looked like a sure goal, but Detroit defender Moritz Seider raced into the crease to throw his leg in front of the shot. It was a pad save and a beaut.

There were also some questionable moments in the second, including a penalty on Penguins winger Bryan Rust. Rust’s infraction was absorbing a hard slash from Seider that was so strong it broke Seider’s stick. The backside referee saw the broken stick and assumed Rust was the guilty party and made the call but was quickly talked out of it by just about everyone else except the Detroit crowd.

Penguins defenseman Erik Karlsson was felled by a rising shot that hit him squarely in the face midway through the second period. Karlsson appeared ready to stay in the game but had to retreat to the locker room.

The Penguins competed hard but couldn’t get the go-ahead goal. Each team had 25 shots.

Penguins Notes

Marcus Pettersson returned to the lineup. He hadn’t played since suffering a lower-body injury on Dec. 14 against the Ottawa Senators.

Jesse Puljujarvi, who cleared waivers Tuesday, was in the press box. The Penguins have not yet announced a transaction to send him to the Wilkes-Barre/Scranton Penguins.