SB Nation New York - Devils Unable To Win At CONSOL Energy Center, Fall To Pens, 4-2https://cdn.vox-cdn.com/community_logos/48977/ny-fave.png2011-04-06T01:09:07-04:00http://newyork.sbnation.com/rss/stream/18558812011-04-06T01:09:07-04:002011-04-06T01:09:07-04:00Devils Unable To Win At CONSOL Energy Center, Fall To Pens, 4-2
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<p>The CONSOL Energy Center hasn't been very friendly to the New Jersey Devils (36-38-5). </p>
<p>The Pittsburgh Penguins (47-25-8) stretched their home unbeaten streak over New Jersey to three games with a 4-2 win tonight.</p>
<p>The Pens moved within one point of the Philadelphia Flyers for first in the Atlantic Division. They also remain three points behind the conference-leading Washington Capitals.</p>
<p>The Devils, playing for nothing but pride, dropped their second straight game. The team, already eliminated from the playoffs, is now in danger of finishing under NHL-.500.</p>
<p>Jordan Staal opened the scoring with 2:23 left in the first period. With the Penguins on the powerplay, Staal took a pass from James Neal and moved into the Devils zone. He beat defenseman Mark Fraser and skated into the left circle. Johan Hedberg came out for a poke attempt, but it failed as Staal lifted the puck over the Devils' goalie for his 11th goal of the season.</p>
<p>David Steckel tied the game, 1-1, with 4:52 remaining in the second period. Rod Pelley started the play, setting up behind the net. Pelley sent a pass to the front of the net, and Steckel tucked the puck under the crossbar for his first goal and point as a Devil.</p>
<p>Steckel, whose hit during the Winter Classic contributed to Sidney Crosby's concussion symptoms, was booed loudly by the crowd.</p>
<p>Pascal Dupuis would make the home fans happy, putting the Penguins ahead, 2-1, with 3:39 left in the middle period. Pittsburgh broke into the Devils' zone on a 3-on-2 rush. Hedberg stopped Maxime Talbot's initial shot, but could not control the rebound. Dupuis backhanded the loose puck into the net for his 15th goal of the season.</p>
<p>Chris Kunitz increased the lead to 3-1 at 1:31 of the third period. Tyler Kennedy set up the play, with his pass helping Kunitz get around Henrik Tallinder. Kunitz backhanded a puck around Hedberg for his 23rd of the season.</p>
<p>Brian Rolston brought the Devils to within one with his goal at 4:32 of the final period. Mattias Tedenby held the puck in the bottom of the left circle and fed Rolston with a pass. The left-winger fired a shot from the high slot that beat Marc-Andre Fleury. It was Rolston's 14th of the year.</p>
<p>Dupuis would end any hopes of a comeback, sealing the victory with an empty-net goal with 1:01 remaining in the game.</p>
https://newyork.sbnation.com/new-jersey-devils/2011/4/6/2093777/devils-unable-to-win-at-consol-energy-center-fall-to-pens-4-2AJ Manderichio2011-04-05T10:49:50-04:002011-04-05T10:49:50-04:00New Jersey Devils at Pittsburgh Penguins: Devils Look To Rebound Against Rival Pens
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<p>While their chance at the playoffs are done, the New Jersey Devils (36-37-5) still want to finish the season strong.</p>
<p>After playing one of their "worst games" Saturday night against the <a class="sbn-auto-link" href="https://www.habseyesontheprize.com/">Montreal Canadiens</a>, the Devils look to rebound tonight against the Pittsburgh Penguins (46-35-8) at the CONSOL Energy Center.</p>
<p>The Canadiens officially eliminated the Devils Saturday night, defeating them 3-1. It marks the first time in 15 years that New Jersey will miss the playoffs. Jacques Lemaire wasn't happy with his team's performance, saying it may have been the worst game of the season.</p>
<p>"That was not one of our good games," <a href="http://blogs.northjersey.com/blogs/fireice/comments/devils_look_to_to_regain_focus_after_one_of_the_worst_games_of_the_season/" target="_blank">he told Tom Gulitti of <i>The Bergen Record</i></a>. "It could be one of the worst, if not the worst.</p>
<p>"We played the night before. You're trying to find out what really happened. But it was not only one guy. It was pretty much the whole team and when it's the whole team what would come to your mind is we played the night before. We're getting tired. We'd been on the ice for the last 10 days."</p>
<p>Despite their playoff elimination, Lemaire still wants his players focused on the last four games of the season.</p>
<p>"Oh yea, it always crosses your mind that maybe there's a letdown (with the playoffs out of reach), but this is our job to get the players as ready as possible and the players' job is to play," <a href="http://www.nj.com/devils/index.ssf/2011/04/devils_practice_1.html" target="_blank">Lemaire told Rich Chere of <i>The Star-Ledger</i></a><i>. </i>"If we all do our job, we'll be fine."</p>
<p>New Jersey should have no problem focusing on a game against their division rivals tonight. Pittsburgh currently sits fourth in the Eastern Conference, holding a slim one-point lead over the <a class="sbn-auto-link" href="https://www.rawcharge.com/">Tampa Bay Lightning</a>. The Pens lead the season series, 3-1-1, but both teams have combined for just six total goals.</p>
<p>Scoring was almost nonexistent during the most recent meeting. Both the Devils and Penguins failed to score during regulation and overtime, with <span>Martin Brodeur</span> stopping 26 shots and <span>Marc-Andre Fleury</span> making 21 saves. <span>James Neal</span> scored the only goal in the shootout, giving the Pens a 1-0 win.</p>
<p>Brodeur will start tonight for New Jersey. He's 8-1-1 with a 0.79 goals-against average and four shutouts in his last 10 starts against Pittsburgh. </p>
<p>Even without the playoffs, Devils players still want to win.</p>
<p>"We have to win hockey games, that's our job," <a href="http://www.nj.com/devils/index.ssf/2011/04/devils_practice_1.html" target="_blank">Brian Rolston told Chere</a>. "Is it a letdown to play these last four games and not being in the playoffs? Absolutely it is. I think we're human. But at the same time, we have to continue to win hockey games."</p>
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<p class="game-title"><a href="https://www.allaboutthejersey.com/">New Jersey Devils</a> <br> <span>@ <a href="https://www.pensburgh.com/">Pittsburgh Penguins</a> </span></p>
<p class="game-info"><span>Tuesday, Apr 5, 2011, 7:30 PM EDT</span><br> CONSOL Energy Center</p>
<p class="foot clearfix"><span class="link-more"><span>Complete Coverage ></span></span></p>
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https://newyork.sbnation.com/2011/4/5/2332782/new-jersey-devils-at-pittsburgh-penguins-devils-look-to-reboundAJ Manderichio