PITTSBURGH _ Technically, Patric Hornqvist was taking a shift with Teddy Blueger and Brandon Tanev when hats rained down on the veteran winger during the second period of the Penguins' 5-1 win over the lousy Detroit Red Wings on Sunday at PPG Paints Arena.
But Hornqvist started the matinee game on the fourth line and scored his first goal while on the ice with Sam Lafferty and center Andrew Agozzino. That followed the Penguins' first goal by Sam Lafferty, one originally attributed to Hornqvist _ dashing Hornqvist's claim to a hat trick.
The first was a spinning wrist shot from the left dot that surprised Red Wings goalie Jimmy Howard.
Tanev did the dirty work on Hornqvist's second goal, fighting through contact then flipping the puck to Hornqvist, who beat Howard's backup, Jonathan Bernier.
Hornqvist is not your typical fourth-liner. He is shooting for his ninth season with at least 20 goals and he scored one of the biggest goals in Penguins history. But with Pittsburgh acquiring winger Jason Zucker from Minnesota last week, coach Mike Sullivan had to bump somebody down the lineup. It was Hornqvist.
Before the Zucker deal, which sent Alex Galchenyuk to the Wild, the fourth line for the last two months had lacked a clear identity. There is no mystery about how Hornqvist wants to play. He's one of the most obnoxious players in the NHL, face-washing defenders, bumping goalies and getting his stick on everything.
With Hornqvist skating on the fourth line the last couple of games, there have been signs of life from that line. If and when Nick Bjugstad and Dominik Kahun return to the lineup, or if Jim Rutherford brings in another winger, the Penguins should be able to roll out fourth trustworthy lines during the playoffs.
The Red Wings, meanwhile, might not be able to roll out one of them right now.
For the first time since 2015-16, the Penguins swept the season series against the Red Wings, on pace for one of the NHL's worst records of the past decade.
The Red Wings entered Sunday with only a few more wins this season than the Penguins earned in December alone. Detroit had been outscored by an NHL-worst 102 goals; the next closest goal differential belonged to Ottawa, at minus-45. The Red Wings have had four separate losing streaks of six games or more.
The Red Wings outshot the Penguins, 15-9, in the first period and generated several quality scoring chances. They scored first when Valtteri Filppula finished off a give-and-go with Tyler Bertuzzi that had Matt Murray lunging at air. Just 10 seconds later, Murray denied Dylan Larkin on a breakaway to keep it 1-0.
The Penguins, despite being outplayed in that first period, would take a 2-1 lead into the locker room. After Hornqvist got his first of the afternoon, Kris Letang scored on the power play, blasting a slap shot through a crowd and in.
Sunday was the fourth straight game with a power-play goal for the Penguins after they went 0-for-11 combined at Washington and Tampa Bay during their week-long road trip earlier this month. Since Sidney Crosby returned to the lineup Jan. 14, the Penguins have gone 10 for 39 on the power play.
The Penguins chased Howard with second-period goals from Hornqvist and Crosby. Crosby's beauty was a testament to teamwork. Four Penguins touched the puck in a 10-second span after Dominik Simon made a nice play at the blue line to keep it in, then Crosby roofed a one-timer from the right circle.
Hornqvist scored his second goal a few minutes later to put the game away.
With the win, their second in a row, the Penguins pulled within one point of the first-place Washington Capitals in the Metropolitan Division standings.
