Pittsburgh Penguins and Sidney Crosby look to get back in form by defeating Detroit Red Wings

The Pittsburgh Penguins welcome the Detroit Red Wings to PPG Paints Arena on Thursday night for their first meeting of the season. Pittsburgh enters the matchup with a 17-12-9 record and is coming off a dominant 5-1 victory over the Carolina Hurricanes.

Detroit, meanwhile, arrives with an impressive 24-14-3 record and has been playing excellent hockey lately. The Penguins are looking to start the new year on a positive note after struggling through a 3-5-2 stretch over their last 10 games.

Pittsburgh Penguins looking to end their inconsistent run with win over Detroit

Pittsburgh has been averaging 3.3 goals per game during that span but has also been giving up 3.8 goals, which explains some of their inconsistent results. Anthony Mantha provided the spark in the Penguins' most recent game with a two-goal performance against the Hurricanes.

That kind of secondary scoring is exactly what Pittsburgh needs alongside the production from Sidney Crosby and the top line. Crosby continues to produce at an elite level with 21 goals and 19 assists this season.

The captain shows no signs of slowing down and remains the driving force behind everything the Penguins do offensively. Bryan Rust has been hot lately with seven goals and six assists over the last 10 games.

When Rust is scoring consistently, the Penguins become much more dangerous because it spreads out the offensive production beyond just relying on the top line.

Pittsburgh has been solid at home with an 8-6-5 record at PPG Paints Arena. Playing in front of their home crowd should give them an advantage against a Detroit team that will be finishing a road trip.

Detroit Red Wings looking to continue their impressive away record

Detroit has been excellent over their last 10 games, posting a 7-3-0 record while averaging 2.8 goals and only giving up 2.3 goals per game. That defensive structure has been the foundation of their success.

The Red Wings are particularly dangerous in close games, going 12-2-1 in contests decided by one goal. That clutch performance in tight situations shows a team that knows how to win when it matters most.

Alex DeBrincat leads the Detroit Red Wings with 20 goals and 20 assists, providing the team with offensive firepower. Lucas Raymond has been facilitating lately with one goal and nine assists over the last 10 games, showing his playmaking ability.

Detroit's 10-7-2 road record proves they can win away from home. The Red Wings won't be intimidated playing in Pittsburgh, and their recent form suggests this will be a competitive game. The Penguins are favored at home, but Detroit's strong play and ability to win close games make this a difficult matchup to predict

Also Read: Sidney Crosby believes early-season Penguins were the real team, reigniting hope for an unlikely playoff