Mackenzie Blackwood grinned despite the exhaustion after leading the New Jersey Devils to a hard-fought victory.
Blackwood made 38 saves, helping the Devils secure a 2-1 win over the Pittsburgh Penguins on Friday night. His stellar performance was the key to the team’s success.
“I’m pretty tired, but that doesn’t matter,” Blackwood said. “I’m just happy we got the win tonight.”
Travis Zajac and Blake Coleman scored for the Devils, providing just enough offense for the victory.
Blackwood was under constant pressure, particularly in the second and third periods. He stopped all 15 Pittsburgh shots in the middle frame and allowed only one goal in the third as the Penguins outshot the Devils 11-2.
“They have a strong forecheck and are really good at creating chances in the offensive zone,” Blackwood said. “They were doing that all night.”
Jack Johnson scored Pittsburgh’s lone goal, while Matt Murray made 19 saves.
This was Pittsburgh’s first game without star center Sidney Crosby, who is expected to miss at least six weeks following surgery for a core muscle injury. The Penguins will need to persevere without their top scorer.
“You can’t always control when the puck goes in the net,” Penguins coach Mike Sullivan said. “I thought our guys played hard and smart. We just didn’t find the back of the net enough.”
Blackwood had a lot to do with that.
“He’s a solid goaltender,” Penguins forward Jake Guentzel said. “He played really well tonight. He’s big, so he covers a lot of the net.”
Zajac scored the game’s first goal at 6:59 of the opening period, converting a pass in the slot from Jesper Bratt. The goal ended a 10-game point drought for Zajac, the longest of his career.
Blackwood made several key saves to keep Pittsburgh off the board, including stops on Nick Bjugstad and Guentzel.
He continued to impress in the second period, using his 6-foot-4 frame to deny Brandon Tanev and Brian Dumoulin.
Coleman added to the Devils’ lead with 4.1 seconds remaining in the second period. He fired a shot from the left wing, and while Murray made the initial save, the puck sat in the crease. Coleman quickly pounced on the rebound, knocking it in for an unassisted goal.
“I kind of surprised myself,” Coleman said. “I’ve been focusing on getting to the net more and creating chances. Sometimes you get an ugly one to get you back on track.”
In the third, Pittsburgh nearly scored early when Guentzel hit the post.
The Penguins eventually broke through with a goal from an unlikely source. Johnson jumped into the play and scored from the left circle, marking his first goal in 92 games and cutting the Devils’ lead to 2-1.
Despite being outscored 24-9 in third periods this season, the Devils held on, thanks to Blackwood’s performance.
“It was a bit chaotic at the end, but we managed to hold on and get the two points,” Blackwood said.
Game Notes
- Sidney Crosby isn’t the only key player out for Pittsburgh. Defenseman Kris Letang and right winger Patric Hornqvist are also sidelined with lower-body injuries.
- Penguins center Nick Bjugstad left the game with a lower-body injury late in the second period. Coach Sullivan said he will be evaluated on Saturday morning.
- The Devils placed defenseman Sami Vatanen on injured reserve (upper body) retroactive to Nov. 8 and recalled defenseman Colton White from Binghamton (AHL).
- Penguins center Alex Galchenyuk played in his 500th NHL game.
- The Devils honored service members on Military Appreciation Night.
Up Next
- Penguins: Host Toronto Maple Leafs on Saturday.
- Devils: Visit Montreal Canadiens on Saturday.
