Talbot's 31 saves, effective special teams, and more: 3 reasons why Detroit Red Wings won 3-2 in OT against Pittsburgh Penguins

The Detroit Red Wings won a thrilling overtime contest against the Pittsburgh Penguins 3-2 on Wednesday night at the PPG Paints Arena. The Red Wings blew a 2-0 lead but recovered to get the two points.

Jonatan Berggren opened the scoring before Patrick Kane added a power play tally. Simon Edvinsson got the game-winner at 1:30 of overtime, while Bryan Rust and Anthony Beauvillier responded for the Pens.

So, let’s take a look at the three reasons why Detroit Red Wings beat the Pittsburgh Penguins on Wednesday night.

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Three reasons why Detroit Red Wings defeated the Pittsburgh Penguins

#3 The Red Wings recover blown lead

Berggren and Kane scored four minutes apart early in the second period to give the Wings a 2-0 lead. But Rust notched up his fourth of the season two minutes later to pull the Pens to within one before Beauvillier tied the game five minutes later.

The game would stay deadlocked in the third, with the Penguins outshooting the Wings 10-7 in the third period. But the Red Wings turned it up in overtime, taking advantage of a defensive miscue by Evgeni Malkin to skate away with the win.

Overall, the Penguins did well to recover, showing resilience after blowing a two-goal lead.

#2 Talbot excels despite defensive miscues

Cam Talbot stopped 31-of-33 shots in the overtime win. While the Detroit Red Wings had a meltdown midway through the second period, the goals weren’t entirely on Talbot.

For instance, the Beauvillier goal started with a Sidney Crosby pass across the ice. Beauvillier stood alone in front of the net, with Red Wings defender Justin Holl unable to check Beauvillier’s stick or cover him.

That forced Talbot to slide across to attempt the save, but he couldn't get across in time. Beyond that, Talbot was fantastic, keeping the Wings in the game despite the defensive miscues.

#1 The special teams get the job done

The special teams were terrific for the Detroit Red Wings. First, the Wings went 1-for-2 on the power play. Patrick Kane’s fourth of the year gave Detroit a 2-0 lead.

Then, the penalty kill went 2-for-2 on the night. That performance was fantastic, as it allowed the Wings to stay in the game, eventually winning it in overtime. In hindsight, the power play and penalty kill were the deciding factors.

Had the Penguins scored on the power play or had the Red Wings failed to convert with the man advantage, the Pens could have skated away with the win. Instead, the Red Wings got the job done and grabbed the two points.

The Red Wings will get a chance to recover before taking on the Anaheim Ducks on Friday night.