Penguins fend off comeback bid from the Devils to earn their fourth consecutive victory

Matt Vensel, Pittsburgh Post-Gazette on Mar 15, 2025

Published in Hockey

By clicking submit, I authorize Arcamax and its affiliates to: (1) use, sell, and share my information for marketing purposes, including cross-context behavioral advertising, as described in our Privacy Policy , (2) add to information that I provide with other information like interests inferred from web page views, or data lawfully obtained from data brokers, such as past purchase or location data, or publicly available data, (3) contact me or enable others to contact me by email or other means with offers for different types of goods and services, and (4) retain my information while I am engaging with marketing messages that I receive and for a reasonable amount of time thereafter. I understand I can opt out at any time through an email that I receive, or by clicking here

PITTSBURGH — The Penguins made it four wins in a row Saturday by beating the New Jersey Devils, 7-3, at PPG Paints Arena. It was the fourth straight victory for Tristan Jarry, as well.

The Penguins got off to a good start but watched Cody Glass, whom they traded to New Jersey eight days earlier, score from the slot to give the Devils the ice-breaker.

Undeterred, the Penguins responded with a pair of goals scored 25 seconds apart.

Newcomer Connor Dewar got the first one, giving him a goal in back-to-back games. Then Danton Heinen beat Jacob Markstrom on a 2-on-1 rush to put them in front.

The Penguins seized full control with a big momentum swing in the second period.

First, they survived a couple of threatening plays on a Devils power play early in the period. On the first, Ryan Graves hustled into a shooting lane to discourage a shot at an open cage. Seconds later, Jarry made a point-blank save on Ondrej Palat then stuck out his left pad to stuff him again, allowing the Penguins to get the key kill.

On the next shift, Rickard Rakell cashed in a sweet Sidney Crosby pass to push their lead to 3-1. Pittsburgh coach Mike Sullivan loaded up a line coming off that penalty kill, and Evgeni Malkin drew a crowd in front while Crosby set up Rakell in the slot.

Philip Tomasino added another insurance goal in the third period. He stole the puck from Devils defenseman Johnathan Kovacevic then spun and scored on Markstrom.

As it turned out, the Penguins needed that one from Tomasino. The Devils made it 4-2 with Noel Acciari in the penalty box for a high-sticking double minor, a call that Sullivan protested. Malkin then drew blood, too, and received twin penalties for a high stick of his own. Nico Hischier beat Jarry to get the Devils back within a goal.

Erik Karlsson ended their comeback bid when he beat Markstrom with 5:43 left.

Dewar got an empty-netter then Kevin Hayes scored on Markstrom to make it 7-3.

Around the boards

— The Penguins had won only once in the previous 10 matchups against the Devils.

— New Jersey was without two of its top players, Jack Hughes and Dougie Hamilton. Both of them are expected to be out through at least the end of the regular season.

— The Pittsburgh penalty kill allowed multiple goals in each of the last two games.

— Brian Dumoulin headed off for repairs after the Acciari high stick but he returned.

— Glass is off to a nice start with his new team. He has averaged a point per game in New Jersey and in four games tallied two goals — half as many as he had here.

— The Devils thought they scored shorthanded to pull within a goal near the end of the second period. But the goal was wiped out by a successful challenge by Sullivan and his staff. Nathan Bastian had clearly entered the zone offsides before scoring.

— The Penguins used the same lineup they iced in Thursday’s win against St. Louis.

Coming up next

Penguins players have a scheduled off day on Sunday. Their five-game homestand will continue Tuesday, when they host the New York Islanders at PPG Paints Arena.

____