Bryan Rust and captain Sidney Crosby each recorded their respective 20th goals of the season to lift the host Pittsburgh Penguins to a 4-2 win over the reeling New Jersey Devils on Saturday.
Jeff Carter and Jared McCann also scored and Jake Guentzel added two assists for the Penguins (31-14-3, 65 points), who swept three straight home games against the Devils.
Casey DeSmith made 34 saves as Pittsburgh improved to 7-1-1 in its past nine games.
Jack Hughes and Miles Wood scored for New Jersey (14-27-6, 34 points), which has dropped nine in a row and 13 of its past 14 games (1-11-2). Mackenzie Blackwood made 33 saves in defeat.
Carter gave Pittsburgh a 1-0 lead at 9:41 of the first period. Jason Zucker left the puck near the right dot for Carter, who beat Blackwood far side.
McCann doubled the advantage during a power play at 12:50 of the first period. Defenseman Kris Letang unleashed a shot from the top of the slot that Guentzel deflected to McCann for an easy conversion.
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Rust notched his 20th goal to make it 3-0 at 7:30 of the second period. Defenseman Cody Ceci’s shot from the point was deflected by both Guentzel and Rust before the puck skidded past Blackwood.
New Jersey scored 1:15 later to trim Pittsburgh’s lead. Yegor Sharangovich missed while taking a backhand swipe at the puck just above the crease. DeSmith’s reaction left Hughes with a gaping net, and he had an easy tap-in.
The Devils halved the deficit at 10:58 of the third period. Wood accepted a cross-zone pass from defenseman Ryan Murray and sent a one-timer past DeSmith for his team-leading 15th goal.
After Zucker laid a big hit on New Jersey’s Nicholas Merkley at center ice, the two fought with 5:06 left.
Crosby added an empty-net goal just before the buzzer to cap the scoring.
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–Field Level Media