Chinakhov has 2 points, Penguins defeat Red Wings

PITTSBURGH -- Egor Chinakhov had a goal and an assist to help the Pittsburgh Penguins to a 5-1 win against the Detroit Red Wings at PPG Paints Arena on Tuesday.

Rickard Rakell, Anthony Mantha, Justin Brazeau and Noel Acciari scored, and Stuart Skinner made 22 saves for the Penguins (38-21-16), who have won three of four, including 8-3 at the New York Islanders on Monday. 

Pittsburgh is second in the Metropolitan Division, eight points behind the Carolina Hurricanes for first and three ahead of the third-place Islanders, who lost 4-3 at the Buffalo Sabres on Tuesday.

“Just a massive four-point swing for us, in terms of the (past two games), especially against those teams that we’re fighting with for spots,” Skinner said. “The East is so tight, so anytime you get two, three wins in a row, that’s a big jump.”

John Gibson was pulled in a second straight start, allowing three goals on 14 shots and exiting after the first period for the Red Wings (39-27-8), who have lost four of five. Cam Talbot made 15 saves on 17 shots in relief. 

Detroit, which has missed the Stanley Cup Playoffs the past nine seasons, is two points behind the Columbus Blue Jackets for the second wild card into the playoffs from the Eastern Conference. Columbus lost 5-2 to Carolina on Tuesday.

“We’ll write our own story,” Red Wings coach Todd McLellan said. “We’ve written it, you know, the book is closed on March now. We move to April. ... There’s teams that are elevating right now and there’s teams that aren’t, and right now, we’re one of them that aren’t.” 

Rakell put Pittsburgh ahead 1-0 at 4:10 of the first period on its first shot on goal, a wrist shot through traffic from the high slot. It was his 20th goal this season and sixth in five games. 

Mantha made it 2-0 at 8:34, reaching 30 goals for the first time in the NHL. Mantha initially shot on Gibson, leaving the puck in the crease for an attempt from Connor Dewar before it slipped out of a scrum to Mantha for a wrist shot inside the left post.

Chinakhov then carried a pass from Kris Letang to just above the left circle for a quick shot past Gibson’s blocker, extending the lead to 3-0 at 18:02. 

“Every game, I’m enjoying,” Chinakhov said. “So, it’s special. These ones, you’re in the race to the playoffs. So, yeah, I’m just enjoying playing.” 

Detroit also allowed the first three goals in a 5-3 loss to the Philadelphia Flyers on Saturday. 

“In some situations, it’s definitely competitiveness, and the will and the drive to do it longer and harder than, maybe, the opposition,” McLellan said. “Some of it’s technique and skill too. It’s a combination of both. But the will and the drive is something we could use a little bit more of right now.” 

Dylan Larkin cut it to 3-1 five seconds into a power play at 3:17 of the second period, scoring his 30th goal on a wrist shot to the left of the net off a rebound from Patrick Kane. 

That ended the Penguins’ run of 10 straight goals scored, including the final seven on Monday. 

“It’s so important for our group that we have that, you know, four lines and anybody can go out there and find a way,” Pittsburgh coach Dan Muse said. “Whether it’s turning the momentum our way by creating some chances or by going out there and scoring goals.” 

Brazeau pushed the lead to 4-1 at 12:23 by deflecting a point shot from Connor Clifton. 

Acciari knocked down a shot from Ryan Shea to score with a wrist shot from left of the net at 12:09 of the third period for the 5-1 final. 

“Seems to be a different story every night,” Larkin said. “That’s a tough one, but I think when you come to the rink, you put your equipment on and it’s hockey, no matter what time of the year. It gets elevated this time of the year, but you have to make plays, you have to want the puck on your stick.”

NOTES: Pittsburgh forward Bryan Rust was a late scratch with a lower-body injury. No update was provided. ... Penguins forward Evgeni Malkin had an assist and five shots on goal in 17:35 of ice time in his return from missing four games with an upper-body injury. … Larkin is the fifth player for the Red Wings to have six 30-goal seasons, joining Gordie Howe (14), Steve Yzerman (11), Sergei Fedorov (nine) and Brendan Shanahan (seven). He has scored at least 30 goals in five straight seasons, tying Howe and Shanahan for the second-longest stretch in Detroit’s history behind Yzerman (seven).