Dougie Hamilton scored a power-play goal 2:07 into overtime Sunday afternoon to give the New Jersey Devils a 2-1 win against the Pittsburgh Penguins in Newark, N.J.
Marcus Pettersson appeared to net the game-winner for the Penguins at the 1:30 mark, but referees immediately waved the goal off because Pittsburgh had too many men on the ice after Pettersson leaped off the bench on a shift change before a teammate exited.
Hamilton, at the left faceoff circle, took a pass from Jack Hughes and fired a slapshot that sailed over the glove of Tristan Jarry for the first goal in more than 55 minutes of game time.
Hughes scored 56 seconds into the first for the Devils, who have won six of seven (6-0-1). Goalie Vitek Vanecek made 26 saves.
Sidney Crosby scored the tying goal early in the first period for the Penguins, who have lost four of six (2-3-1) but extended their lead over the idle New York Islanders and Florida Panthers to three points in the race for the final wild-card spot in the Eastern Conference. Jarry recorded 23 saves.
The Devils jumped out to a quick lead on a milestone goal by Hughes, who raced up the right side and skated around Rickard Rakell in the neutral zone before shuffling the puck in the faceoff circle and firing a shot over Jarry’s glove.
The goal was the career-high 30th of the season for Hughes, who had 26 goals last season. He is the first Devils player to collect at least 30 goals since Taylor Hall had 39 goals during the 2017-18 season.
The Penguins tied the score less than six minutes later. Crosby backhanded the puck to Jeff Petry before dashing to the slot. Petry then passed to Crosby, who fired a shot beyond the glove of Vanecek, who was screened by leaping Pittsburgh defenseman Marcus Pettersson, at the 6:25 mark.
The Penguins outshot the Devils 12-2 in the second before New Jersey held a 12-10 advantage in the third. But Pittsburgh had the best chance at scoring the tie-breaking goal 2:05 into the final period when Ryan Poehling had a point-blank shot at Vanecek, who managed to deflect it as he fell backward so that the puck glanced off the top post.
–Field Level Media