Red Wings-Penguins prospect tournament Tweetcap: Detroit’s prospects lose 4-3 to Pittsburgh’s penalty-killers

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The Detroit Red Wings’ prospects battled the Pittsburgh Penguins’ prospects on Sunday night at Little Caesars Arena’s BELFOR Training Center, with both teams playing in their second of three games at the Red Wings’ 2026 Prospect Tournament.

Detroit would ultimately lose a 4-3 decision to the Pittsburgh Penguins’ prospects thanks to some spectacular penalty-killing from the Pens in a penalty-filled game, and Pittsburgh rallied from a 2-1 deficit and 3-3 tie thanks to a terribly unlucky “own goal” in which Kienan Draper accidentally redirected a Jordan Charron shot through Wings goaltender Michal Orsulak’s legs.

It was a frustrating game for the Wings’ prospects, who started out on fire, but faded down the stretch as the Penguins’ PK sapped Detroit’s momentum.

PREGAME: The Red Wings dressed the following lineup, with no Nate Danielson or Anton Johansson on the roster this evening, and Orsulak starting in goal:

Pittsburgh Hockey Now’s Dan Kingerski provided the Pens’ lineup…

As did Michelle Crechiolo, a.k.a. Pens Inside Scoop:

EliteProspects/Shap Shots/DLLS Stars’ Sean Shapiro delivered some news as well:

1ST PERIOD:

GOAL DETROIT 1-0: Detroit broke out of their own zone off the initial dump-in from the Pittsburgh Penguins, an Carter Bear blazed up the right wing side, fed Theo Rochette, and Rochette went roof daddy over the Penguins’ goaltender 23 seconds into the 1st period.

GOAL PITTSBURGH 1-1: Carter Sanderson fired over the pad and under the blocker of Michal Orsulak at 3:40 of the 1st to make it 1-1, skating in on a 3-on-1.

PENALTY: Jacob Truscott took an interference minor at 4:18 of the 1st period.

Theo Rochette got the best scoring chance on the PP, charging up the ice on a shorthanded breakaway which was stifled by Xavier Wendt.

PENALTY: Pittsburgh’s Daniel Russell took a hooking minor at 7:00.

GOAL, Detroit 2, Pittsburgh 1: On the power play, Jacob Truscott ripped a heavy shot toward the goaltender and Kienan Draper tipped the puck home off his pants at 8:32.

PENALTY: Detroit’s Haeden Ellis took a penalty at 8:57 of the 1st period.

PENALTY: At 9:35, Dylan James got picked off by Pierce Mbuyi, who sat for kneeing.

When the Penguins flexed in the offensive zone, Orsulak was there…

At the other end of the ice, the Red Wings’ top line was playing like a top line:

PENALTY: Liam Ruck sat at 17:45 for an unspecified penalty.

During the power play, Michal Orsulak had to make a stop on Atley Calvert’s shorthanded breakaway.

END 1st: Detroit led 2-1, with Orsulak stopping 10 of 11 shots and Wendt stopping 12 of 14.

2ND PERIOD: Good news from The Athletic’s Max Bultman to start the 2nd period:

PENALTY: Pittsburgh sat at 2:13 of the 2nd period as Brayden Edwards got caught in a post-whistle scrum.

PENALTY: Michal Svrcek was called for a penalty at 3:57 of the 2nd period.

The Wings killed the penalty, and Sutter Muzzatti fired a pass from Svrcek wide of the net on a fanned shot as the Slovak came out of the penalty box.

PENALTY: Off a scrambled play in which Michal Orsulak and defenseman Brady Ness stopped shots by the Penguins, they headed to the power play at 8:15.

GOAL, 2-2 tie: Tomas Galvas skated through the Wings’ D and deked and dangled through Orsulak to score a 2-2 marker at 9:11 of the 2nd period.

As play continued…

PENALTY: Justice Christensen sat at 11:39 of the 2nd period for dumping Bill Zonon.

GOAL, Pittsburgh 3, Detroit 2: Brayden Edwards set up in the slot and was unseen by the Wings’ defenders, so he was able to rip a one-timer past Orsulak at 12:23.

GOAL, 3-3 tie: Adam Levac scored on the rebound of a Michael Dec shot at 14:16 of the 2nd period to tie the game.

PENALTIES: At 16:10, Svrcek and a Penguin sat for coincidental minor penalties, facilitating a 4-on-4.

PENALTY: Tyler Duke got called for a free hand grab with 32.9 seconds remaining in the 2nd/19:26 elapsed.

PENALTY: At 19:41, Theo Rochette got hacked in the hands and the Pens sat for what was going to be a 5-on-3, but not before Jesse Kiiskinen sat as well as he was goaded by Edwards to get into the scrum post-whistle.

END 2ND: Detroit 3, Pittsburgh 3, Detroit on the PP for 1:28 to start the 3rd.

3RD PERIOD:

Detroit did not convert on its long 3rd period power play, but the Penguins were starting to surrender more and more regular opportunities to Detroit…

GOAL: Pittsburgh scored a 4-3 marker as the Penguins forward scored by sliding a centering pass off Kienan Draper’s foot and through Michal Orsulak. Jordan Charron scored off the deflection.

PENALTY: Shoudy sat at 5:56 for tripping a Red Wing as the Wings broke out of their defensive zone.

PENALTY: At 9:39 of the 3rd period, with the Penguins tilting the ice toward the Wings’ end of the rink, Pittsburgh took a penalty as Brayden Edwards sat again.

The Penguins’ penalty-killing unit was clinical as it stole the Wings’ momentum.

PENALTY: at 11:55 of the 3rd period, Mbuyi sat and Detroit faced an almost must-score situation against the Pens’ mighty PK.

Pittsburgh killed the penalty again…

PENALTY: At 16:43, Daniel Russell tripped Carter Bear breaking out of the Wings’ zone, and Detroit had one more chance to tie the game.

Michal Svrcek got the only chance of the power play…

TIMEOUT: Detroit called timeout at 18:03 of the 3rd period.

GOALIE PULL: Michal Orsulak remained on the bench at 18:03.

END OF GAME: Pittsburgh’s penalty-killing unit afforded them a hard-fought victory.

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