Saturday night, the New Jersey Devils (22-11-3) defeated the Pittsburgh Penguins (15-15-5) in a dominant 3-0 victory. Though it took a minute to get the offense going, the Devils’ defensive juggernaut made Pittsburgh’s path to victory impossible.

First Period

The Penguins did a good job not letting the Devils set up their transition game to start the period, forcing them on their side of the red line for the first five minutes. They capitalized with a couple of chances on the rush with forced turnovers but Jacob Markstrom stood tall in net. The Devils had a couple of looks with Jesper Bratt and Paul Cotter but Pittsburgh’s defensive structure held and they couldn’t find a way behind it for much of the period.

Jacob Markstrom made some key saves but let up a few hazardous rebounds, including an especially dangerous one that Timo Meier cleared. Evgeni Malkin also had Markstrom beat on a breakaway but mishandled the puck trying to get to his backhand.

The Penguins got the first power play of the night on a Dougie Hamilton holding call but New Jersey stymied the man advantage, not allowing a shot while playing aggressively in the offensive zone. The Devils got a power play of their own to end the period but couldn’t get anything going. They had four seconds remaining on the power play going into the second period.

It was a very low-event first period that saw just nine shots between the teams. Still, it was the Penguins who controlled the offensive chances with a 76.05 expected goal percentage (xG) at five-on-five. New Jersey generated just 0.14 five-on-five expected goals.

Second Period

The second period was much more high-event, even if there was only one goal. The Devils got a few dangerous two-on-one chances with Jack Hughes and Jesper Bratt but they couldn’t capitalize. On the other end, Sidney Crosby had what looked like a sure goal on an open net before Markstrom dove over to put a glove on it, guiding it into the post. After a first period where the Devils struggled in transition, they created numerous chances with turnovers and rush chances, putting the Pens on the back foot.

The Penguins gained some momentum back after a good power play drawn by a Paul Cotter interference call. The Devils weathered a few shifts in the defensive zone before regaining control of the play.

Stefan Noesen finally broke the ice late in the period, receiving a wired pass from Nico Hischier after he spun away from a couple of defenders and scoring another patented net-front goal. It was Noesen’s 15th goal of the year, a career-high.

The Devils played much better in the second period and were rewarded with a one-goal lead going into the intermission. They notched a 69.23 Corsi-for percentage (CF%) and a 77.95 xG% at five-on-five while holding Pittsburgh to just four shots.

Third Period

New Jersey put the game in their pocket in the third period, holding Pittsburgh to three shots. They didn’t just keep Pittsburgh out of the offensive zone, they put their foot on the gas pedal and piled on pressure in the offensive zone. New Jersey forced Tristan Jarry to make some crucial saves, keeping Pittsburgh in the game.

Nico Hischier put the game further out of reach midway through the period, finding the loose puck in a tangle of bodies in front of the net and putting it past Jarry. Stefan Noesen didn’t register an assist on the goal but he was critical to the play, tying up Ryan Shea long enough for Hischier to steal the puck.

After that goal, the Devils let the pressure slip but the game was all but won. They refused to allow Pittsburgh past the neutral zone, preventing them from pulling Jarry until it was too late. When the Penguins finally pulled him, Timo Meier scored the empty-netter while Jonas Siegenthaler and Michael Bunting brawled behind the play.

The possession numbers reflected the Devils’ dominant play in the third period, with New Jersey earning a 63.16 CF% and a 65.22 xG%.

Results

Last night was another dominant defensive performance from the Devils, frustrating Pittsburgh’s transition game. The only real offense the Penguins got were a couple of rush chances in the first period generated off careless turnovers. The Devils are at their peak and piling on crucial points in their race for the division and the Eastern Conference.

The Devils now own a 22-11-3 record and claimed first place in the Metropolitan Division with their 47th point. The Penguins, on the other hand, are now 15-15-5 and sit fourth in the Metro with 35 points. 

Game Notes

• Jacob Markstrom earned his second shutout with the Devils, stopping the 12 shots he saw. Pittsburgh didn’t generate much on the Swede but he did earn 1.72 goals saved above expected (GSAx) while stopping several grade-A chances, notably from Sidney Crosby and Evgeni Malkin.
• Stefan Noesen had an excellent game, earning first-star honors with a goal. He played great hockey alongside Nico Hischier, capitalizing on a chance he created and, despite it not showing up on the scoresheet, assisted Hischier’s third-period goal.
• The Devils allowed just 12 shots on goal, their sixth straight game allowing 20 shots or fewer. That equals their record from the 1998-99 season. It was also the seventh of their last eight games allowing 20 shots or fewer. The Devils’ are a defensive dynamo.

Up Next

The Devils will host the scuffling Rangers in a Monday matinee.