Blomqvist Stands Tall, Penguins Fill the Net in Win Over Detroit

DETROIT — The Pittsburgh Penguins looked like a team in deep, deep trouble for much of the first period Thursday against the Detroit Red Wings. They trailed 1-0, but only because rookie goalie Joel Blomqvist, who made his first NHL start, was spectacular.

And then, as if the switch flipped, the Penguins began creating offensive chances and then remembered how to finish them. At the outset of the second period, the Penguins scored three goals in 2:33, beating Detroit 6-3 at Little Caesars Arena.

Blomqvist, 22, stopped 12 of 13 shots in the first period, but the number belied just how well the goalie played. Detroit significantly outchances the Penguins 11-5 but scored just once. Blomqvist is entering his second professional season in North America after being the Penguins’ second-round selection in the 2020 NHL Draft.

On Thursday, Blomqvist was the shining rookie. He was the difference between the Penguins tying the game 1-1 later in the first period and trailing 4-0. Blomqvist made a handful of sparkling saves in the first period, taking what looked like a sure goal away from Lucas Raymond on the power play and stuffing Vladimir Tarasenko’s one-timer from 10 feet away.

Blomqvist faced a debatable 13 shots in the first period (it could have been several more, and scorekeepers adjusted downward on three occasions), and far too many were good scoring chances. However, his stellar play kept the Penguins in the game.

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After the Penguins lost 6-0 to the New York Rangers 6-0 the night before, coach Mike Sullivan shuffled his top six. Sullivan moved Rickard Rakell to the top-line RW while moving Drew O’Connor to Evgeni Malkin’s right.

O’Connor scored a pair of goals, though only one counted. However, the Penguins did not have a good start.

Playing in their home opener and first game of the season, Detroit swarmed the Penguins net from the outset. After a fumbled Penguins rush, Detroit counter-attacked, and Penguins defenseman Erik Karlsson lost his defensive zone coverage, leaving Alex DeBrincat wide open on the left wing. DeBrincat (1) easily snapped the shot short-side past Blomqvist at 3:46.

After hanging on through most of the opening period, new Penguin winger Anthony Beauvillier (1) scored his first Penguins goal by banking the puck off goalie Ville Husso and defenseman Ben Chiarot into the net.

In the second period, the teams switched sides and traded effectiveness, too.

The Penguin scored two goals 58 seconds apart early in the second period, then added a third 1:35 later.

Beauvillier (2) quickly put back Sidney Crosby’s rebound for the first of the trio at 2:55.

The Penguins third goal conjured fond memories of Penguins decades gone by. With the puck on his stick, Evgeni Malkin charged a pair of defensemen just inside the offensive blue line. He took the outside shoulder to go just wide of the net and slipped a pass in the crease to Drew O’Connor, who easily buried it in the net at 3:53 of the second period.

Malkin, 38, is the Penguins’ oldest player but was one of the freshest players, despite playing it being the Penguins’ second of back-to-back games.

And for good measure, Husso allowed a wicked softie just over 90 seconds later. Marcus Pettersson’s waist-high wrister from the blue line eluded Husso for a 4-1 Penguins lead and the end of Husso’s night. Cam Talbot relieved him.

Despite the Penguins’ pressure in the second period, Detroit stayed within striking distance. Penguins winger Cody Glass’s high-sticking penalty was costly when Tarasenko scored just after the power play expired at 12:31.

The Penguins thought they answered quickly when Malkin weaved through multiple defenders, and Michael Bunting set up O’Connor near the net for the would-be fifth Penguins goal, but review confirmed a hand pass and negated the tally.

The teams traded chances and saves for the remainder of the second period, keeping the disappointed Detroit fans (the Tigers lost to Cleveland in Game 4 of the American League Division Series sometime during the second period) on the edge of their seat.

The Penguins scored twice in the third period, including a power play goal by Erik Karlsson at 1:42 and beauty by Kevin Hayes, who came off the wall toward the net and snapped a top-corner wrister past Talbot.

DeBrincat (2) scored on a five-on-three in the middle of the third period after Blomqvist made several difficult saves.

In total, Blomqvist stopped 29 of 32 shots.

Notes

The game was pushed back to an 8 p.m. start because of the Detroit Tigers’ home playoff game against the Cleveland Guardians.

Winger Bryan Rust skated in Detroit Thursday morning, as did goalie Alex Nedeljkovic. Rust did not play Thursday, but his return seems imminent. Nedeljkovic is still listed as week-to-week and has not yet participated in a full-contact practice.

With two assists, including the Penguin’s third-period power-play goal, Malkin registered his 800th career assist. He still has 498 career goals.

Crosby also had a pair of assists, and linemate Beauvillier had a pair of goals. Karlsson also had two points with a goal and an assist.

Penguins Lines

Beauvillier-Crosby-Rakell

Bunting-Malkin-O’Connor

McGroarty-Eller-Puljujarvi

Hayes-Glass-Acciari

Defense

Grzelcyck-Letang

Pettersson-Karlsson

Graves-St. Ivany