Point Earned, Streak Secured: Devils Outlast Penguins 2-1 in SO Thriller

 

Photo: Andrew MacLean

This thrilling Metropolitan Division clash was a goaltending masterclass from both ends of the ice. The New Jersey Devils ultimately prevailed in the shootout, defeating the Pittsburgh Penguins 2-1 to secure their second consecutive victory and extend their perfect season-opening home winning streak to seven games. The Devils' win was anchored by netminder Jake Allen, who stopped a stunning 33 of 34 shots through regulation and overtime. Across the ice, the resilient Penguins earned a crucial point, thanks to rookie Arturs Silovs—who turned away 23 of 24 shots while holding the Devils' potent offense in check, an impressive feat for an injury-riddled squad missing six key players.

Pittsburgh Penguins Lineup:

Rust - Crosby - Kindel

Novak - Malkin - Mantha

Koppanen - Hayes - Koivunen

Heinen - Lizotte - Dewar

Wotherspoon - Karlsson

Shea - Letang

Graves - Clifton

Silovs

Murashov

New Jersey Devils Lineup:

Noesen - Hughes - Bratt

Meier - Hischier - Mercer

Palat - Glass - Gritsyuk

Cotter - Lammikko - Glendening

Siegenthaler - Nemec

Dillon - Hughes

Cholowski - White

Allen

Markstrom

Arseny Gritsyuk opened the scoring late in the first period with just 48 seconds remaining on the clock, picking up his third goal of the season. He drove up through the neutral zone after Kris Letang, who was attempting a backhanded pass to Joona Koppanen, but it was stolen by Gritsyuk in the slot, and he sent a snap shot past Arturs Silovs to put New Jersey ahead 1-0.

Ryan Graves found his first goal of the season at 7:27 of the second period to knot it up 1-1 when Sidney Crosby sent the puck from the left behind the net to Bryan Rust, who was in the left circle, and passed it to Graves, who was at the blue line. Graves fired from the left point, his shot deflected off Ondrej Palat's helmet and over a screened Jake Allen. The defenseman played two seasons with the Devils (2021-23).

After a scoreless third period, the Penguins and Devils needed extra time to finish this game. Overtime wasn't enough, so it ended in a shootout where both Paul Cotter and Jesper Bratt scored in the first two rounds for New Jersey, while both Rust and Crosby were denied by Jake Allen.

Notes:

- Jake Allen made a total of 33 saves for New Jersey, and Arturs Silovs made a total of 23 saves for Pittsburgh.

- The Devils are 11-4-0, and are 7-0-0 at home, and they moved within one victory of tying their longest home win streak to start a season (1987-88).

- The Penguins are 9-4-3, and have lost three of their past four games; 1-2-1.

- In the first period, the Devils were outshot 12-6. Allen was incredible, making a glove stop against Ville Koivunen, who fired a quick snap shot from the slot at 10:18.

- In the second period, Silovs made nine saves, including a glove stop against a wrister by Jack Hughes from the bottom of the right face-off circle with 49 seconds on the clock.

- Erik Karlsson skated in his 1,100th NHL career game.