The Pittsburgh Penguins will host the New Jersey Devils on Saturday afternoon, with each team looking to extend its respective three-game win streak.
New Jersey enters Saturday’s matinee following a 3-2 win over the Edmonton Oilers on Thursday, its third consecutive victory for the first time since Dec. 21-27.
And for the Devils, there’s extra motivation. They are sitting in third place in the Metropolitan Division, in a playoff spot, with 15 games to play. Each win gets New Jersey closer to clinching a berth for only the second time since 2018.
On Thursday, Jesper Bratt scored a goal and had two assists in the victory. He now has six points (two goals, four assists) over his past two contests.
Brett Pesce had a goal and an assist, and Simon Nemec netted the game-winner.
Bratt is the team leader in assists (57) and points (76) through 67 games, but he said it’s a team effort that has the Devils in their current position.
“It’s just been a good feeling in the group that we feel like every single line is contributing in their way,” Bratt said. “Everyone is really finding their game, finding their structure. I think that’s kind of been the confidence boost for the whole team.”
Backup goaltender Jake Allen, 11-13-1 with a .911 save percentage and a 2.60 goals-against average, made 31 saves in Thursday’s victory.
He, too, appreciates the way the team has come together.
“We’re missing our No. 1 defenseman (Dougie Hamilton), our No. 1 scorer (Jack Hughes), and (Jonas Siegenthaler) has been an absolute horse for us and is also out,” Allen said. “Guys are stepping up. It’s not always going to be pretty, and I think we have to understand that our opportunities have to come in a variety of different ways.”
The Devils are 19-14-2 on the road this season.
New Jersey won the first two meetings between the division rivals: 3-0 at home on Dec. 21 and 3-2 in a shootout in Pittsburgh on Feb. 4.
The Penguins host the Devils on Saturday in the second of a five-game homestand following a 5-3 win over the St. Louis Blues on Thursday. They won the opener against the Vegas Golden Knights 3-2 in overtime on Tuesday.
Against the Blues, Bryan Rust and Rickard Rakell each had a goal and an assist. Connor Dewar, Conor Timmins and Ryan Graves also scored for the Penguins, who have won three in a row for the first time since a four-game win streak (Nov. 27-Dec. 3).
Tristan Jarry made 33 saves. Jarry, recalled from the AHL’s Wilkes-Barre/Scranton Penguins on March 3, has stopped 97 of 103 shots in three starts since rejoining the NHL club.
Jarry is 11-8-4 with an .894 save percentage and 3.14 GAA in 25 NHL games this season.
“He made some big saves for us, allowed our guys an opportunity to find it,” Penguins coach Mike Sullivan said. “I think when he’s at his best, that’s what he’s capable of doing. … When ‘Jars’ plays to his capability, he’s a legitimate NHL goaltender.”
Sidney Crosby had a pair of assists in the Thursday win, both coming in the third period. It was the Penguins captain’s 259th multipoint period, passing Gordie Howe for the seventh-most in NHL history.
Crosby paces the Penguins with 49 assists and 72 points in 66 games this season, while Rakell is the team leader with 30 goals in 67 games.
Saturday is the third of four meetings between the Devils and Penguins. Pittsburgh travels to Newark, N.J., on April 11 to conclude the season series.
–Field Level Media
