NHL Recap: Pittsburgh Penguins snuck past New Jersey Devils, 4-2
Pascal Dupuis lit the lamp twice as the Pittsburgh Penguins held on for a 4-2 victory over the New Jersey Devils, at the CONSOL Energy Centre on Tuesday night.
Jordan Staal also hit the net and had an assist for the Penguins, who have 102 points for the fourth place in the Eastern Conference. Chris Kunitz scored another goal while Marc-Andre Fleury stopped 22 shots in the winning effort.
Brian Rolston and David Steckel both found the back of the net for New Jersey, which was shut-out in its past two-road play-offs. The Pittsburgh-New Jersey season series had featured a total of only 12 goals in the last five games. Johan Hedberg was dented
for all four goals on 27 shots in the losing effort.
Pittsburgh got on the board first, taking 1-0 lead on a power-play with nearly two and half minutes remaining in the opening stanza. The play was set-up by James Neal, who dropped the puck at the blue line for Staal, who then rushed towards the net, holding
off Mark Fraser and lifted the puck past Hedberg for his 11th goal of the season.
The Penguins's goal-tender, Fleury, played very well in the middle frame and stopped Rolston’s shot with just six minutes remaining. The Devils' Steckel pulled the game even at 1-1 with nearly five minutes left in the second period, as he ripped a shot from
the left slot for his first goal in 16 games.
Dupuis recovered the Penguins with a one-goal edge, 2-1, just one minute later. The goal came when Maxime Talbot fired a wrist shot from the right circle, but it was blocked. Dupuis picked up the rebound and stuffed it home.
The Penguins notched a two-goal advantage, 3-1, just one and half minute into the final session. The goal was set up by Tyler Kennedy, who swept a cross-ice pass to Kunitz, who skated in front of the net and unleashed a back-hander home.
New Jersey's Rolston made it a one-goal game, 3-2, three minutes later, as he ripped a one-timed slap-shot from the high-slot for his 14th goal of the season. New Jersey got another opportunity to tie the game on a power-play during the last two
minutes of the third period, but Devils were unable to take advantage.
"Two goals a lot of times has been enough for us to win. But obviously, you've got to score more goals, too." Rolston said.
The Devils pulled off Hedberg from the goal post for an extra attacker. The Penguins capitalised on this advantage as Dupuis tipped the puck in the empty net with a short-handed tally to seal the victory at 4-2, with one minute remaining in the third period.
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