O'Connor Scores Two, Penguins Drop Final Game of 2024

The Pittsburgh Penguins fell 4-2 to the Detroit Red Wings just before the ball dropped on New Year's Eve. The loss is a fairly disappointing way to end the year - a year defined by unlikely surges.

The Red Wings scored first, but it was Drew O'Connor who finally made his way back on the score sheet in the waning minutes of the first period. It took over two months, but he buried the one-timer for his first goal since October 18th against the Hurricanes.

Coming out of the first period tied felt like a win, but Detroit responded with a power play goal from Patrick Kane to start the second frame. It was the only tally of the period, but even that felt like another win.

Alex Nedeljkovic was standing on his head and keeping the Penguins in the game with a myriad of great saves on good looks. Down 2-1, the Penguins needed the next goal.

And they got it. From who? None other than DOC.

Former Penguin Jeff Petry tripped up Evgeni Malkin early in the third period and led to Drew O'Conner somehow tucking the puck past Alex Lyon to knot the score at two.

Nedeljkovic continued making incredible save after incredible save, but the sustained pressure from the Red Wings proved too much in the end. A shot from the point in the dying moments of a Detroit power play barely got through Ned, and his desperation reach behind him wasn't fast enough as J.T. Compher tucked in the go-ahead goal.

Dylan Larkin finished the game with an empty netter, burying the Penguins and finishing the season series with Pittsburgh only coming away with three of six possible points.

Penalties minutes were even at six per side, but the Penguins were not the beneficiary of a lot of calls. For instance, on the power play, Bryan Rust got his stick slashed by a Red Wing, but play was stopped because the Red Wing's stick broke.

The whistle blew and Rust seemed to be getting the boot, but after a conference, the referees took back their call. It was the right call, but the whistle blew while the Penguins had possession off a faceoff. The Red Wings would win the subsequent faceoff and kill off the penalty without much push from the Penguins.

A loss to end 2024 is not the most encouraging sight, especially with the Red Wings not having much going for them this season. The Penguins will need to bounce back Friday against the Florida Panthers in Sunshine.

Oh, and by the way, Geno says, "Happy New Year!"