The first Crosby-less lineup of the season for the Penguins serves as the first Samuel Girard appearance in the lineup. Arturs Silovs gets the nod in net.<\/p>\n
The visiting New Jersey Devils bring this lineup to the proceedings.<\/p>\n
Both teams trade some chances early, the Penguins are the better team early with the Evgeni Malkin line generating some chances before New Jersey starts to get the better of the play, forcing Silovs to make a couple of nice blocker stops.<\/p>\n
Pittsburgh gets the first power play and nice zone time, it takes a while for them to settle in. Malkin and Kris Letang move the puck, Letang fires. Tommy Novak gets a piece to redirect things on Jacob Markstrom. 1-0.<\/p>\n
One goal often begats another, NJ gets a chance very late but it doesn\u2019t go.<\/p>\n
Shots go 9-6 PIT in the first, the power play goal being the difference.<\/p>\n
The Devils adjust and respond in the second with a better effort and more control of the puck. They get their first power play when Malkin high sticks a guy.<\/p>\n
The power play doesn\u2019t score but it helps build towards a goal soon after. Paul Cotter gets a piece of a Dougie Hamilton point shot. The Penguins decide to challenge, for some unknown reason because there was hardly anything there.<\/p>\n
Goal stands, NJ to the power play. The Pens kill it off but are right back to the penalty box soon after, Avery Hayes being the guilty party this time with a slash.<\/p>\n
The penalty parade continues, Hayes draws one this time however the Penguins can\u2019t score on their second power play of the evening. Soon after it\u2019s Kris Letang\u2019s turn to head to the box after knocking over Jesper Bratt. Another kill after some Connor Dewar hero ball to keep rushes going up the ice.<\/p>\n
Turns out with 2:00 left that one more power play can get squeezed into a penalty-fest of a period, this time Simon Nemec of the Devils was the guilty party. No dice for the Pens on the late chance for a go-ahead goal.<\/p>\n
Silovs and saves like this are the reason the game is tied after two periods:<\/p>\n
Pittsburgh comes out strong to start the third, the Hayes, Rakell and Rust line builds momentum and amps up the pressure. That continues a little later, Ryan Shea hammers the post so hard the puck ricochets with force way out to Connor Clifton. Clifton can tell that Markstrom is way off his angle and quickly sends another effort in. It hits the crossbar and goes in. 2-1 Pens.<\/p>\n
50 seconds later, the Pens double their lead. Malkin springs Egor Chinakhov, who drives to the net and makes a deft move to lift the puck back across Markstrom. 3-1 Pens, just like that.<\/p>\n
The Devils pull Markstrom with almost four minutes left, getting aggressive while down two goals. That added pressure might have been a reason Clifton went to clear a puck on his backhand and sailed it out of play to take a penalty. They get Markstrom out for a 6v4 but their push ends when Blake Lizotte picks off a Hamilton pass, skates down and puts the puck into the empty net. 4-1.<\/p>\n