Red Wings keep Penguins from clinching playoff spot


Reuters | Updated: 03-04-2019 09:29 IST | Created: 03-04-2019 09:29 IST
Red Wings keep Penguins from clinching playoff spot

Tyler Bertuzzi and Anthony Mantha scored two goals apiece, and the host Detroit Red Wings prevented the Pittsburgh Penguins from clinching a playoff berth with a 4-1 win on Tuesday. The Penguins needed a victory or a Montreal loss to Tampa Bay to secure a spot in the postseason. The Canadiens stayed alive with a 4-2 win over the Lightning. Pittsburgh (43-26-11, 97 points) has two games remaining.

Bertuzzi set a franchise record with his fourth consecutive three-point game. Mantha followed his first career hat trick against Boston on Sunday with two third-period goals. The other member of Detroit's first line, Dylan Larkin, collected three assists as the Red Wings (32-38-10, 74 points) notched their season-high sixth straight victory. Jimmy Howard made 38 saves for Detroit, while Matt Murray stopped 22 shots for Pittsburgh. Phil Kessel tallied the Penguins' only goal.

Bertuzzi scored his first goal midway through the first period on the power play. Andreas Athanasiou fed him the puck to the right side of the net. Murray gloved it, but upon replay, it was ruled that the puck and glove completely crossed the goal line. Larkin also recorded an assist. Pittsburgh tied it with 21.5 seconds remaining in the period during a 2-on-1 situation. Sidney Crosby set up Kessel, who fired the puck from the right circle past Howard on the glove side.

Kessel had a breakaway opportunity in the second period but couldn't get a clean shot on net. Bertuzzi scored with 9:34 remaining in the period off a backhanded feed from Darren Helm. Bertuzzi found the top shelf with a shot from the left side. Larkin recorded another assist ion Bertuzzi's 21st goal this season.

Mantha scored his first goal of the game at the 11:24 mark of the third to give Detroit a 3-1 advantage. Larkin chipped the puck up the ice, and Mantha beat the defense to it. He then moved around Murray and deposited it into the net. Mantha fired in an empty-netter to clinch the victory.

--Field Level Media

(This story has not been edited by Devdiscourse staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.)

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