Penguins lose to Red Wings, fail to tighten Metropolitan

DETROIT-- The Pittsburgh Penguins failed to get closer to first place in the Metropolitan Division, losing 5-2 to the Detroit Red Wings at Little Caesars Arena on Tuesday.

"We didn't play with the urgency it takes to win games in this league," Pittsburgh coach Mike Sullivan said. "If you aren't willing to make that commitment, you can get beat, no matter who you are playing."
Pittsburgh (43-28-6) remained five points behind the Washington Capitals. Sidney Crosby and Kris Letang scored for the Penguins, who have alternated wins and losses in the past 10 games (5-3-2).
WATCH: [All Penguins vs. Red Wings highlights]
"We need to start playing like every game is the most important game of the season," Letang said. "Right now, we're not playing with the same urgency against teams below us in the standings as we are with the teams around us."
Darren Helm had a goal and two assists, Luke Glendening scored twice, and Niklas Kronwall and Frans Nielsen scored for Detroit (28-38-11), which had lost 13 of its past 14 games (1-12-1) and has been eliminated from Stanley Cup Playoff contention.

"You play hockey because you love winning," Kronwall said. "Obviously, we all love the game in general, but the game is a lot more fun when you win. It is definitely nice to get on the right side of things, and hopefully we can keep this going on Thursday (against the Buffalo Sabres)."
Joe Hicketts
had two assists for the Red Wings in his second NHL game, and Jimmy Howard made 22 saves.
The Penguins took a 1-0 lead 38 seconds into the first period, with Crosby's one-timer finishing a 2-on-1 with Jake Guentzel against Hicketts.

Kronwall made it 1-1 at 16:43, beating Matt Murray with a one-timer from the high slot for his fourth goal of the season and 400th NHL point.
"Everyone in this room knows what he's been going through with his body and how he battles through it thanks to his work ethic," Red Wings captain Henrik Zetterberg said of Kronwall. "It was nice to see him get rewarded."
Hicketts saved a goal at 23 seconds of the second period, when the defenseman knocked aside Crosby's stick as he was about to score into an open net.
"I think I was a little star-struck starting the game against him," Hicketts, 21, said. "He's the best player in the world for a reason, but as the game went on, I kind of figured out a better way to play him."
Detroit scored twice in 41 seconds to take a 3-1 lead.
Nielsen put the Red Wings ahead with a power-play goal at 14:28 of the second period, one-timing Martin Frk's pass. Hicketts got his first NHL point with an assist.
Glendening scored at 15:09, tipping Nick Jensen's slap shot between Murray's legs.

"We can't allow teams to grab the momentum like that," Crosby said. "You are going to make mistakes and give up goals, but once we let them have two quick ones, we were chasing the game."
Helm made it 4-1 at 6:21 of the third period, one-timing Dylan Larkin's shot. Letang made it 4-2 with 3:16 left, and Glendening scored into an empty net at 18:32 for the 5-2 final.

Goal of the game

Kronwall's goal at 16:43 of the first period.

Save of the game

Howard's save on Crosby at 7:48 of the second period.

Highlight of the game

Hicketts' denial of Crosby's shot 23 seconds into the second period.

They said it

"We had offensive-zone time in the first two periods but we weren't getting anything through to the net. When a team is defending as hard as Detroit, you have to make the sacrifices to get inside the dots and make plays. We have to get together as a group and find a way to do that." -- Penguins coach Mike Sullivan
"I have a few milestone pucks, but I don't know where most of them are. A lot of them are for things that only matter to me, like the game from the day my daughter was born." -- Red Wings defenseman Niklas Kronwall on keeping the puck from his 400th NHL point

Need to know

Penguins forward Derick Brassard left the game in the second period with a lower-body injury. Sullivan did not have an update on his condition after the game. ... The Penguins became the first visiting team to lose twice at Little Caesars Arena. They lost 4-1 to the Red Wings on Dec. 31. ... Larkin had two assists and has six points (three goals, three assists) in his past five games. ... Kronwall has 80 goals and 320 assists in 869 NHL games.

What's next

Penguins: At the New Jersey Devils on Thursday (7 p.m. ET; MSG+, ATTSN-PT, NHL.TV)
Red Wings: At the Buffalo Sabres on Thursday (7 p.m. ET; MSG-B, FS-D+, NHL.TV)