Detroit @ Pittsburgh preview

Last Meeting ( Jan 17, 2020 ) Pittsburgh 2, Detroit 1

Superstar captain Sidney Crosby hasn't missed a beat since returning from core muscle surgery, recording at least a point in nine of 11 games. Crosby and the Pittsburgh Penguins bid to continue their torrid ways on Sunday afternoon when they host the league-worst Detroit Red Wings, who have dropped 13 of their last 15 contests (2-12-1).

Crosby collected three assists on Friday as Pittsburgh recorded its 10th victory in its last 14 games overall and improved to 20-5-4 at home with a 4-1 win over Montreal. Crosby highlighted his 17-point stretch (five goals, 12 assists) since his return by scoring in overtime in Detroit on Jan. 17. Jimmy Howard was on the wrong end of that exchange, as he has been in his last 18 decisions (0-16-2) dating to a 31-save performance in the Red Wings' 3-1 win over Edmonton on Oct. 29. The 35-year-old Howard is expected to draw the start after Jonathan Bernier turned aside 37 shots in Detroit's 4-1 setback to Boston on Saturday afternoon.

TIME: 12:30 p.m. ET. TV: NBC Sports Network, Sportsnet

ABOUT THE RED WINGS (14-42-4): Darren Helm scored his third goal in three games just 3:12 into the contest on Saturday before the Bruins dominated play, outshooting Detroit 41-26 while thwarting all three of the Red Wings' power-play opportunities. "Our power play really let us down again and we shot ourselves in the foot with the third goal there," coach Jeff Blashill said. "We got the puck in the O zone and 20 seconds later, it's in our net, so we've got to make sure we do a better job of that." Robby Fabbri and Dylan Larkin share the team lead in power-play goals with five, and each tallied with the man advantage in the Red Wings' 5-3 loss to Pittsburgh on Dec. 7.

ABOUT THE PENGUINS (35-15-6): Jason Zucker appears to have formed instant chemistry with Crosby after the latter set up the former for his first two goals with his new team since being acquired from Minnesota on Monday night. "(On Friday), he was flying," Crosby said of the 28-year-old Zucker. "He created a lot and got a couple big goals for us. He looked comfortable out there. It's hard. There are a lot of things they're throwing at you. He probably has a lot of things going through his mind in that situation." Zucker's outburst marked the first time he's found the back of the net since he scored the game-winning goal in the Wild's 4-2 victory over Detroit on Jan. 22.

OVERTIME

1. Detroit LW Tyler Bertuzzi has scored just one of his club-best 18 goals in the last 10 games.

2. Penguins C Evgeni Malkin, who saw his five-game point streak halted on Friday, has collected five points (one goal, four assists) in two meetings versus the Red Wings this season.

3. Larkin leads the team in assists (25) and points (40) but has just one and three, respectively, this month.

PREDICTION: Penguins 5, Red Wings 1