Pittsburgh heads to Detroit for conference showdown
Pittsburgh Penguins (29-13-5, second in the Metropolitan Division) vs. Detroit Red Wings (12-32-3, eighth in the Atlantic Division)
Detroit; Friday, 7 p.m. EST
BOTTOM LINE: Detroit and Pittsburgh take the ice in Eastern Conference play.
The Red Wings are 5-21-0 in conference games. Detroit is last in the NHL averaging 3.8 assists per game. Dylan Larkin leads them with 20 total assists.
The Penguins are 9-9-3 in conference play. Pittsburgh is fifth in the NHL recording 9.2 points per game, averaging 3.4 goals and 5.8 assists.
In their last meeting on Dec. 7, Pittsburgh won 5-3.
TOP PERFORMERS: Calvin Pickard leads the Red Wings with a minuszero in three games played this season. Larkin has totaled 9 points over the last 10 games for Detroit.
Bryan Rust leads the Penguins with 19 goals and has 40 points. Evgeni Malkin has recorded nine assists over the last 10 games for Pittsburgh.
LAST 10 GAMES: Penguins: 7-2-1, averaging 3.6 goals, 6.5 assists, 3.8 penalties and 9.8 penalty minutes while allowing 2.9 goals per game with a .909 save percentage.
Red Wings: 3-7-0, averaging 2.1 goals, 3.8 assists, 3.5 penalties and 7.3 penalty minutes while giving up 3.6 goals per game with a .884 save percentage.
INJURIES: Red Wings: None listed.
Penguins: None listed.
