Ilya Kovalchuk helps New Jersey Devils defeat the Pittsburgh Penguins 2-1
Ilya Kovalchuk notched a power-play goal with 25 seconds remaining in overtime to lead the New Jersey Devils to a 2-1 win over the Pittsburgh Penguins at Prudential Centre on Friday night.
The game-winning goal came when Penguins defenceman Zbynek Michalek was called for a questionable foul in the third minute of overtime. Patrik Elias could not make his initial chance from the right side but picked up the puck, skated behind the Pittsburgh
net and sent it back for Kovalchuk, who one-timed it past the Penguins net-minder from the left circle.
Kovalchuk praised the effort from his team-mates by saying, "We worked hard. I don't think tonight was our best effort. We didn't have that jump in our legs, but we still found a way to win."
Kovalchuk’s 23rd goal of the season gave the Devils their 19th victory in 23 games (19-2-2) and handed the injury-ravaged Pittsburgh their eighth loss in 10 contests (2-5-3).
The Devils now sit nine points behind the eighth-placed Carolina Hurricanes.
Travis Zajac also scored a goal for New Jersey, who have won 11 of their last 12 contests to keep their hopes alive for a play-off berth. Goaltender Martin Brodeur turned aside 25-of-26 shots for the victors.
Pittsburgh played well and fought hard despite still being without Sidney Crosby.
Penguins forward Mike Rupp was not disappointed with his side’s performance despite the defeat. He said," We thought we deserved better. The bottom line is things haven’t gone our way so we are going to keep building off it and keep going and eventually
we’ll be able to get out of the little funk we are in and start winning these games.”
Tyler Kennedy scored the lone goal for Pittsburgh, who have lost six of their last seven games. Brent Johnson surrendered all two goals on 29 shots. A disappointed Johnson said after the game, "It's tough (to lose) because it was back-and-forth. Both sides
played well offensively and defensively and it's tough not to come out on top.”
The Devils took a 1-0 lead in the fourth minute of the middle stanza when Zajac carried the puck past two defenders and sunk a backhander from the left side. The Penguins however, found an equaliser in the sixth minute of the second period, when Kennedy
blasted a wrist shot from the right circle.
Both sides had chances to break the tie throughout the remainder of regulation time, but could not capitalise on their chances. Brian Rolston came closest when he hit the crossbar with less than five minutes remaining after being set up by kick pass from
Dainius Zubrus. Kovalchuk then netted the winner late in overtime to seal the game for the Devils.
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