The Pittsburgh Penguins defeated the Detroit Red Wings 4-1 last night at PPG Paints Arena, and clinched a playoff spot. The Pens now have clinched a playoff spot for 13 years in a row, the longest streak in the NHL.
Phil Kessel scored twice for the Pens. He now has 27 goals this season, and 82 points in 81 games. Jake Guentzel scored his 39th goal of the season to tie the game in the first period. Sidney Crosby netted his 34th goal of the season on a third-period power play. He currently has 98 points this season.
Goaltender Matt Murray stopped 33 of 34 shots for his 29th victory of the season.
Center Evgeni Malkin and defenseman Kris Letang returned to the lineup from injuries last night. Defenseman Brian Dumoulin remained out with a “lower-body” injury.
The Pens host the New York Rangers Saturday at 7pm. WISR pre-game will be 6:30pm. The Pens need a victory over the Rangers, combined with a New York Islanders regulation loss at Washington to clinch home-ice advantage over the Islanders for the first Stanley Cup playoff series.
If the Pens lose in regulation, and Carolina wins in Philadelphia, the Pens could slip to a Wild Card spot, and would open the playoffs in Washington.
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