NEWARK, N.J. (AP) – Sidney Crosby scored a goal for the fourth straight game and added two assists in leading the Pittsburgh Penguins to a 5-2 victory over the New Jersey Devils on Tuesday night, their 10th win in December.
Evgeni Malkin added a goal and an assist in becoming the fourth Penguin to collect 800 points, and defenseman Justin Schultz scored the go-ahead goal with 5.4 seconds left in the second period after being set by Pittsburgh’s two star forwards.
Marc-Andre Fleury had 21 saves as the Penguins beat the Devils for the second time in five nights, and the third time in three games this season. Carl Hagelin and Bryann Rust added insurance goals in the third period for Pittsburgh, 10-1-2 this month.
PA Parenteau and Adam Henrique scored for the slumping Devils, who are 1-8-1 in their last 10. Cory Schneider had 22 saves.
The Penguins rallied from deficits of 1-0 and 2-1 and killed off six of seven power plays to beat the Devils for only the third time (3-7) at the Prudential Center since 2012-13.
Crosby set up Malkin on a power play for his 15th goal, and 800th point of his career at 6:43 of the first period.
Henrique put the Devils ahead a little less than two minutes later with a shot into an open net on a power play after a shot deflected to him in the right circle.
Crosby scored his league-leading 25th goal to tie the game midway through the second period on a great effort by Conor Sheary. He beat Henrique skating down the left wing, got the rebound of his own shot and fed Crosby, whose goal streak matches his season high.
Schultz gave Pittsburgh the lead in the waning second of the second period with the teams skating four on four. Crosby fed Malkin just into the Devils’ blue line. The big forward dropped a pass to Schultz for a shot that beat Schneider high to his stick side.
Hagelin scored on a breakaway early in the third period and Rust scored late into an empty net.
Taylor Hall had given the Devils the lead at 1:18, setting up Parenteau for a shot into an open net.
Game notes
– Crosby has 41 points in 30 games (25 goals, 16 assists). Malkin also has 41 points in 36 games (15-26).
– Devils D Yohann Auvitu was a healthy scratch after being recalled from Albany (AHL) Monday.
– Penguins RW Patric Hornqvist hit the post less than a minute before Parenteau opened the scoring.
– Pittsburgh is 13-0 when leading after two periods this year, and 52-0 over the past two years.
UP NEXT
The Penguins will host Carolina on Thursday to open three-game homestand.
