Former Pens Star in Red Wings’ Win over Pittsburgh

Marian Hossa scored a goal and Ty Conklin earned the shutout Sunday afternoon, helping the Red Wings defeat the Penguins in the pair’s first return to Pittsburgh since bolting for Detroit as free agents last summer.

Hossa heard boos every time he touched the puck but they were never louder than after he scored to make the game 2-0 with 8:51 left in the third period.

“I guess we expected them to boo him a little bit but, man, that was vicious at times,” Conklin said.

“These are great hockey fans, and they show you their emotions,” Hossa said. “Once or twice in your career you’ve got these games, so basically you try to enjoy it because this doesn’t happen often.

“You try to use their energy to your advantage.”

Hossa’s goal came as he looped through the Penguins’ zone, carrying the puck down the right wing before coming back up the left side, losing the trailing Jordan Staal and putting a backhander from the high slot past goalie Marc-Andre Fleury.

“I was just hoping it would get there. It kind of surprised me (it went in),” Hossa said.

Pavel Datsyuk scored Detroit’s other two goals, putting home a rebound on a power play at 10:08 of the second period and on a strong individual effort with 2:12 remaining.

Conklin stopped 25 shots en route to the shutout, his sixth of the season.

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The Red Wings were without forward Johan Franzen who missed the game with a bruised hand suffered in Detroit’s win over the Edmonton Oilers on Saturday.