Bryan Rust and Jake Guentzel each recorded a goal and an assist, propelling the Pittsburgh Penguins to a 3-1 win over the New Jersey Devils on Saturday.
Zach Aston-Reese also found the back of the net, while Sidney Crosby contributed two assists for Pittsburgh, now winning seven of its last nine games. Casey DeSmith stopped 24 shots, helping the Penguins snap a brief two-game skid.
“Our collective effort has been really strong,” Rust said. “It’s not just one or two guys; it’s all five on the ice and our goalie too. That’s crucial. You can work hard, but things can go wrong if everyone’s not on the same page. Lately, we’ve been working together well.”
Kyle Palmieri scored for New Jersey, and Scott Wedgewood made 26 saves in his second straight start for the Devils, who had won their previous two games.
Pittsburgh overturned a one-goal deficit with two quick strikes in the second period.
Rust gave the Penguins a 2-1 lead with a power-play goal at 6:35, finishing a smooth forehand-backhand move. Guentzel and Crosby assisted in achieving what turned out to be the game-winning goal.
“Sid was a threat from the start,” Penguins coach Mike Sullivan said of Crosby, who leads the team in both assists and points. “He had a great game, and so did his line. He’s such a key leader in those situations.”
Aston-Reese had tied the game at 1-1 just minutes earlier at 4:59 of the second period. He capitalized on a loose puck that evaded the Devils’ defense and slipped it between Wedgewood’s legs for his sixth goal of the season. Sam Lafferty and Marcus Pettersson assisted in the play.
The Devils failed to convert on all four of their power plays, including two in the third period.
“We reviewed what went wrong last game and made adjustments,” Aston-Reese said. “We focused on getting in the shooting lanes and being more aggressive, and it paid off today.”
Palmieri had given New Jersey the lead at 7:19 of the first period by crashing the net and burying a rebound. Jesper Bratt set up defenseman Sami Vatanen for a one-timer, earning his team-leading 12th assist and extending his point streak to three games.
“A lot of our shots were one and done, and we didn’t capitalize on our good chances,” Palmieri said. “The power play drained our energy. In games like this, with four power plays, you have to generate something—momentum, goals, or even pressure. We didn’t do that tonight.”
Guentzel sealed the Penguins’ win at 14:25 of the third period by redirecting a Crosby shot past Wedgewood, making it 3-1.
“I didn’t feel we started well,” Devils coach Lindy Ruff said. “They outworked, outplayed, and outskated us in the first period. We were lucky to come away with a 1-0 lead.”
Penguins forward Jared McCann returned to the lineup after missing six games with an upper-body injury, while Brandon Tanev did not play despite participating in warmups.
Injury Updates
Sullivan announced that center Evgeni Malkin is now considered week-to-week after sustaining an injury against the Boston Bruins on Tuesday. Malkin had been on an eight-game scoring streak before getting hurt. Forward Jason Zucker has resumed skating after suffering an apparent lower-body injury on February 23 against Washington. Devils forward Nathan Bastian is also week-to-week after exiting Thursday’s win with an injury, and goaltender Mackenzie Blackwood missed his second straight game due to an aggravated upper-body injury.
Lineup Mainstays
The Devils have only six players (Jack Hughes, Andreas Johnsson, Damon Severson, Ty Smith, P.K. Subban, and Miles Wood) who have played in every game this season. For the Penguins, only Jake Guentzel and Bryan Rust have appeared in every game.
Milestone
This game marked Mike Sullivan’s 400th as head coach of the Penguins. Only Eddie Johnston (516) and Dan Bylsma (401) have coached more games for the franchise.
UP NEXT
- The Penguins and Devils will conclude their three-game series Sunday afternoon in Pittsburgh.
