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Dan Muse reveals starting goalie and explains what has changed with the Penguins lately


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Daniel Lucente
January 3, 2026  (11:10)
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Pittsburgh Penguins head coach Dan Muse speaks to reporters
Photo credit: YouTube

Penguins coach Dan Muse revealed that Stuart Skinner will get the start in goal vs. the Red Wings and revealed why his team has been playing better as of late.

The Pittsburgh Penguins hit the road for the first time in 2026 to face the Detroit Red Wings at Little Caesars Arena, with puck drop scheduled for 12:00 PM ET.

What is leading the Penguins to play better lately

Stuart Skinner will start in goal for Pittsburgh, giving the Penguins a boost as the team has been playing much better late, according to Dan Muse.
"The break came at a good time. You can't always control it, but it came at a good time. I think it was one of us to take advantage of it. You needed a moment to catch your breath. Coming out of the break, going back to that first skate we had, you could see the energy was high. The execution was good coming out of the break, which isn't always the case. But I think guys really came back focused and ready for a reset."

- Dan Muse
Pittsburgh has earned points in 14 of its last 17 games against Detroit (11-3-3) and has scored four or more goals in 12 of those contests.
The Penguins are 5-3-0 in their last eight trips to Little Caesars Arena and have points in seven of their last 10 road games overall (4-3-3).

Why Kris Letang is suddenly surging

Kris Letang continues to shine, posting 12 points (2G-10A) in his last 17 games and reaching 20 points for the 18th time in his career. Letang scored the overtime winner Thursday in his 1,200th game, extending Pittsburgh's win streak to three.
He now has 36 career game-winning goals with the Penguins, fourth-most by a player with one team in NHL history.
Rickard Rakell has 21 points (7G-14A) in 25 games against Detroit, while Blake Lizotte has helped Pittsburgh earn points in 23 of the 30 games he's played this season.
The Penguins enter the game ranked second in the NHL in power-play percentage at 30.2%. It should be one heck of a game.
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Dan Muse reveals starting goalie and explains what has changed with the Penguins lately

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