Game Preview: Detroit Red Wings @ Pittsburgh Penguins 3/31/2026

Season stats

via hockeydb

• The Red Wings had wildly different results in their most recent back-to-back set, following a 5-2 win over the usually-dominant Buffalo Sabres with their collapse against the Flyers. That game was a hugely disappointing swing for a team that traded a package including a first-round pick in order to acquire Justin Faulk ahead of a hopeful playoff push.

Slow starts

Detroit has overall had trouble building much momentum since returning from the Olympic break. This team hasn’t put together a three-game win streak since January.

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Part of the reason why could be a lingering issue with slow starts, which showed in Saturday’s loss to the Flyers. The Red Wings have overall been outscored 54-43 (and outshot 663-595) in first periods this season, per Hockey Reference.

Both of their recent losses that have weakened the team’s playoff position— a 3-2 loss to the Ottawa Senators last Tuesday and the Saturday defeat by the Flyers— involved the Red Wings giving up three straight goals to start the game.

The Penguins would love to put up some early goals against this team, which is 15-21-6 when their opponent scores first (5-10-4 on the road).

The Red Wings, who have lost three of their last four and know exactly what playoff implications are on the line here, will be similarly motivated to strike first. As Lucas Raymond said after his team’s loss to the Flyers, “we’ve got to play with a lot more desperation and jump if we want to win hockey games” (h/t The Athletic’s Max Bultman).

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Playoff implications

Tonight is another game with major implications for the Eastern Conference playoff race, per MoneyPuck. The Pens could take another step toward clinching a playoff spot with a win, while the Red Wings’ postseason hopes would plummet with a loss.

• Checking in on the East’s Wild Card race, via NHL.com. The Red Wings are two points back of the Wild Card line, the same position as the Ottawa Senators and Flyers. All three teams have a game in hand over the current WC2 Columbus Blue Jackets.

And now for the Pens

Projected lines (from Monday’s game)

FORWARDS

Egor Chinakhov – Sidney Crosby – Bryan Rust

Anthony Mantha – Rickard Rakell – Justin Brazeau

Tommy Novak – Ben Kindel – Avery Hayes

Elmer Soderblom – Connor Dewar – Noel Acciari

DEFENSEMEN

Parker Wotherspoon / Erik Karlsson

Sam Girard / Kris Letang

Ryan Shea / Connor Clifton

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Goalies: Stuart Skinner (Arturs Silovs started yesterday)

Potential Scratches: Evgeni Malkin* (injured), Ilya Solovyov, Blake Lizotte (injured), Kevin Hayes, Ryan Graves, Ville Koivunen, Rutger McGroarty

IR: Filip Hallander, Jack St. Ivany

• Dan Muse did some line-shuffling last night, including placing Chinakhov on the first line and shuffling Tommy Novak to the third. Mantha and Brazeau looked good together on the second line, but that could change if Evgeni Malkin is able to return.

• Speaking of Malkin: He was a full participant in practice the day before Monday’s game, so it seems there is at least a possibility he returns for tonight’s home matchup. In that case it could be Avery Hayes drawing out of the lineup as Rickard Rakell slides back to wing.

• The Penguins seem to know the playoff implications of a win tonight, based on their reaction to last night’s victory: