Devils Calamity Continues, Penguins Deliver Third-Consecutive Loss

5 days ago 2

New Jersey Devils (22-20-2) captain Nico Hischier said he expected better of his team after the 9-0 beat down on Long Island. Visiting the Pittsburgh Penguins (21-12-9) at the PPG Paints Center, there was no response at all.

Simon Nemec‘s return to the lineup made no difference. For the 26th time in 44 games this season, the Devils forked over the first lead of the game.

The Penguins attacked the New Jersey zone in waves. On the rush, Erik Karlsson received the pass at the Devils blueline and skated it below the dots with speed. He quickly rifled a shot on New Jersey netminder, Jake Allen, short side and over his shoulder to give the Penguins a 1-0 lead.

Despite winning the shot differential 11-7, the Devils’ scoring woes carried into the first intermission, which saw their scoreless streak grow to five periods.

New Jersey went to the power play at the 3:16 mark of the second period, an early opportunity in the middle frame to even the score.

However, the two-minute advantage came and went, and the Devils couldn’t beat Skinner to tie things up.

Yet, as soon as Connor Dewar emerged from the penalty box, he received a pass from Rakell that sprung him for a breakaway, and he scored to double the Pittsburgh lead 2-0.

The Penguins went to a 5-on-3 advantage late in the middle frame after Timo Meier and Connor Brown took consecutive minor penalties. The Penguins tripled their lead when Sidney Crosby fed Evgeni Malkin in the right circle, and his one-time blast beat Allen to put Pittsburgh ahead 3-0.

Desperate for offense, the Devils got a break early in the third after Malkin was whistled for slashing Dougie Hamilton 1:32 into the third.

On the power play, the Devils finally took advantage, after a point blast by Luke Hughes beat Skinner to get New Jersey on the board, and cut Pittsburgh’s lead 3-1.

Yet, the Penguins answered back with little push back from the Devils, who continue to neglect the will to fight.

Pittsburgh dumped the puck deep into the New Jersey zone. Allen tried to send the puck up the boards, but Noel Acciari intercepted the rubber. He fed Blake Lizotte on Allen’s back door for an easy tap-in, extending the Penguins lead to 4-1.

For the third time in as many games, the Devils suffered a devastating loss, this time to the Penguins.

Allen made 25 saves on 29 shots, taking his 10th loss of the season.

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