The Pittsburgh Penguins showcased both brilliance and near-collapse in a wild 7-6 victory over the New Jersey Devils on Tuesday. What started as a dominant performance turned into a nail-biting finish as the Penguins nearly squandered a six-goal lead in the third period.
Pittsburgh held a commanding 6-0 advantage entering the final frame, only to see New Jersey storm back with six goals of their own. Andreas Johnsson pulled the Devils within one with 41 seconds left, but they couldn’t muster another shot with the goalie pulled, allowing the Penguins to hold on.
According to the Elias Sports Bureau, the Penguins made history as the first NHL team to win a game despite being outscored by five goals in the third period. However, this is not the type of history a team with championship aspirations wants to be known for.
“I hope that it’s an outlier,” Penguins coach Mike Sullivan said, reflecting on the chaotic finish.
Pittsburgh jumped out to an early lead by chasing Devils’ starting goalie Scott Wedgewood with four goals in the first period. They added two more in the second against replacement Aaron Dell, seemingly putting the game out of reach. But the final 20 minutes turned into a back-and-forth frenzy as the Devils took advantage of the Penguins’ loosened defense.
Johnsson, Nico Hischier, Yegor Sharangovich, Nathan Bastian, Jack Hughes, and Nolan Foote all found the back of the net for New Jersey in the third period. Still, it wasn’t enough to complete the comeback, extending their losing streak to seven games.
“Was there any quit in them? No,” Devils coach Lindy Ruff said. “They stayed with it. They weren’t afraid to make plays. If we could’ve executed early in the game on some of those chances, it was a game we could’ve scored nine or 10, really.”
Despite the near-collapse, the Penguins moved within a point of Washington and the New York Islanders for first place in the East Division. The teams will meet again on Thursday and Saturday, with the Devils hoping their late rally is a sign of better things to come.
“It’s easier to play when you’re losing 6-0, so we chipped away,” said Hughes. “It’s embarrassing to be losing 6-0 in the NHL. Like I said, winning a game is impossible when you give up seven goals.”
CARTER’S FIRST FOR THE PENGUINS
Jeff Carter, acquired from Los Angeles at last week’s trade deadline, scored his first goal with Pittsburgh late in the first period, a powerful shot from between the circles that beat Wedgewood. The goal was the 391st of Carter’s career and his first for a team other than the Kings since February 2012, when he played for Columbus.
“It was great for Jeff; I thought his line had another good game tonight,” Sullivan said. “For him to score that first goal as a Pittsburgh Penguin means a lot to him. I’m sure he can just relax and play now.”
SPREADING THE SCORING
Pittsburgh’s offensive depth was on full display as 15 of their 21 skaters, including goalie Tristan Jarry, recorded at least one point. Sidney Crosby, Bryan Rust, and Evan Rodrigues each tallied a goal and an assist, while Jake Guentzel and Jared McCann each added two assists. Mike Matheson, Teddy Blueger, and Brian Dumoulin also scored, with Dumoulin’s goal coming on a fluky bounce from center ice.
GOALTENDING STRUGGLES
Wedgewood had a rough night, stopping just nine of the 13 shots he faced before being replaced by Dell at the start of the second period. Dell didn’t fare much better, allowing a goal on the first shot he faced. The Devils made it interesting late, but their slow start was too much to overcome.
“Here’s what we need: better goaltending,” Ruff said. “Flat out, need better goaltending. We’ve made some mistakes. Every team makes some mistakes. You’ve seen some of the goals that went in. Those are saves that need to be made.”
UP NEXT
- Penguins: Continue their series against the Devils with games on Thursday and Saturday.
- Devils: Look to rebound in the remaining two games against Pittsburgh.
