J.T. Compher scores late as Red Wings upend Penguins

Ted Kulfan, The Detroit News on Dec 31, 2024

Published in Hockey

By clicking submit, I authorize Arcamax and its affiliates to: (1) use, sell, and share my information for marketing purposes, including cross-context behavioral advertising, as described in our Privacy Policy , (2) add to information that I provide with other information like interests inferred from web page views, or data lawfully obtained from data brokers, such as past purchase or location data, or publicly available data, (3) contact me or enable others to contact me by email or other means with offers for different types of goods and services, and (4) retain my information while I am engaging with marketing messages that I receive and for a reasonable amount of time thereafter. I understand I can opt out at any time through an email that I receive, or by clicking here

DETROIT — Red Wings coach Todd McLellan said the other day the NHL has become somewhat a race to three goals in his estimation, and the first team to reach that number has a great chance to win.

It worked Tuesday on New Year's Eve for the Red Wings.

J.T. Compher scored his fifth goal, a power-play goal, at 14 minutes, 26 seconds of the third period, giving the Wings a 3-2 lead. Erik Gustafsson's shot from the point hit the crossbar then glanced off goaltender Alex Nedeljkovic's back before landing in the crease. Compher got to the puck first and slid it home, giving the Wings the lead.

Dylan Larkin's empty-net goal with 13.2 seconds left, ending a 15-game goal-scoring drought, finished the scoring in Detroit's 4-2 triumph.

Goaltender Alex Lyon stopped 23 shots to gain the victory, the second consecutive victory for the Wings (15-18-4) under McLellan, who also earned the 600th coaching victory of his NHL career.

Pittsburgh's Drew O'Connor scored his second goal of the game (fifth for the season), on the power play, at 3:18 of the third period, tying the game at 2. O'Connor, stationed net-front, jammed the puck past Lyon during a scramble.

Jonatan Berggren and O'Connor traded first-period goals, while Patrick Kane had a second-period power-play goal.

Berggren opened the scoring with his fifth goal. Vladimir Tarasenko threaded a pass through the Penguins' defense to spring free Berggren, who whistled a shot between the hashmarks past Nedeljkovic at 7:52.

But the Penguins got to even toward the end of the period on O'Connor's first goal of the game. Cody Glass found O'Connor open near the low circle, and O'Connor snapped a one-timer past Lyon at 18:29.

Kane regained the lead for the Wings' in the second with his seventh goal, and fourth goal in the last seven games. Lucas Raymond won a battle at the wall, got the puck to Alex DeBrincat, who found Kane alone for a one-timer at 3:41 of the second period.