Pittsburgh @ Detroit preview

Last Meeting ( Sep 25, 2019 ) Detroit 2, Pittsburgh 4

The Pittsburgh Penguins boast consecutive shutouts and have a good chance to make it three in a row when they visit the offensively challenged Detroit Red Wings on Saturday night. Tristan Jarry turned aside 33 shots as Pittsburgh beat Arizona 2-0 on Friday, after blanking St. Louis 3-0 on Wednesday, but may give way to Matt Murray in the second of a back-to-back against the slumping Red Wings.

The Penguins improved to 5-2-0 in their last seven contests despite a host of injuries, including captain Sidney Crosby (hernia), and they welcomed back forward Bryan Rust and defenseman Justin Schultz on Friday from lower-body injuries. While the Penguins are hanging in the playoff race despite many obstacles, the Red Wings have lost 10 straight contests (0-8-2) and own the least points (17) in the league along with the least in franchise history through the first 30 games of a season. Detroit, which has also had injury problems with top-pair defenseman Danny DeKeyser and leading goal scorer Anthony Mantha (12) out, managed five goals in the last six games after falling 4-1 against the New York Islanders at home Monday. “This is the toughest year I’ve been a part of,” Red Wings veteran forward Darren Helm told the Detroit Free Press. “We have to reset these next couple games, come to the rink a little bit more positive, upbeat. Try to have some fun. There’s not a lot going on right now, but it’s a long season.”

TV: 7 p.m. ET, AT&T SportsNet Pittsburgh, FS Detroit

ABOUT THE PENGUINS (16-9-4): Forward Jake Guentzel recorded an assist Friday to push his team-leading total to 28 points and center Evgeni Malkin had the winning goal for his ninth point in the last five games. Jarry (7-4-0) is earning more starts with his strong play and Murray (9-5-4, .897 save percentage), who has won two Stanley Cups, has struggled of late while allowing 18 goals combined in his last four outings. Rust was a plus-1 with one shot and two hits in 20:56 of ice time after missing three games and Schultz was paired with Jack Johnson, recording three hits along with one shot in 18:43 after sitting out seven contests.

ABOUT THE RED WINGS (7-20-3): Detroit ranks last in the league in goals per game (2.1), goals against (3.93) and the penalty kill (72.6 percent) as it tries to snap a slide to began with overtime and shootout losses on the West Coast. Forward Tyler Bertuzzi owns assists in the last two games to take over the team lead with 24 points - one more than Mantha, who is likely out another week or two with a lower-body injury. Rookie right wing Filip Zadina, the sixth overall pick in the 2018 draft, has an assist in each of his last two games with the Red Wings and is expected back in the lineup Saturday after a quick trip to AHL Grand Rapids.

OVERTIME

1. Detroit LW Justin Abdelkader (abdominal) is close to returning to the lineup after missing the last 11 games.

2. The Penguins are 0-for-13 on the power play over the last four games, but killed all five Arizona tries with the man advantage Friday.

3. Red Wings C Frans Nielsen has managed one point in 26 games after registering at least 33 in each of his last 10 full seasons in the NHL.

PREDICTION: Penguins 4, Red Wings 2