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Penguins get by depleted Red Wings

Jan 19, 2011 - 5:25 AM Pittsburgh, PA (Sports Network) - Chris Conner's penalty-shot goal in the first period proved to be the game-winner, as the Pittsburgh Penguins defeated the Detroit Red Wings, 4-1, at CONSOL Energy Center.

Jordan Staal, Chris Kunitz and Matt Cooke also tallied for Pittsburgh, which has won three straight games. Marc-Andre Fleury was solid between the pipes, turning aside 36-of-37 shots.

The Penguins were without captain Sidney Crosby, who has missed the last six games with a concussion, but remained three points behind the Flyers in the Atlantic Division and Eastern Conference standings.

Johan Franzen accounted for the lone goal for the Red Wings, who have dropped three of four. Joey MacDonald made 25 saves in defeat.

Pittsburgh opened the scoring 3:02 into the contest on a turnover by MacDonald. After a dump in by Tyler Kennedy, the Detroit netminder went behind the cage to play the puck, but put it right onto the stick of Staal, who scored into a wide-open net.

"We can't start behind each night, especially against good teams," said Red Wings head coach Mike Babcock.

Conner stuffed a backhander between the pads of MacDonald on a penalty shot at 11:29 to make it a 2-0 game.

"Obviously those chances (a penalty shot) don't come around too often, but I'm glad it went in," said Conner.

Franzen's tally from the right circle with 2:32 remaining in the middle stanza got the Red Wings on the board. However, just 30 seconds later Kunitz put a rebound past McDonald from in close to give Pittsburgh a 3-1 advantage after two.

Cooke's empty netter with 1:19 left in the contest accounted for the 4-1 final.

Game Notes

Detroit was without forward Tomas Holmstrom (broken hand)...Jimmy Howard (bruised right knee) was serving as the Detroit backup goaltender...The Red Wings also currently have forwards Pavel Datsyuk, Mike Modano and Dan Cleary on injured reserve and defenseman Brad Stuart (broken jaw) and goaltender Chris Osgood (sports hernia) are expected to miss the next 6-to-8 weeks...Earlier on Tuesday, the Penguins agreed to terms with center Mark Letestu on a two-year contract extension.