NEWARK, N.J. -- Ilya Kovalchuk scored a power-play goal with 24.9 seconds left in overtime to give New Jersey a 2-1 victory against the Penguins at the Prudential Center tonight.

The goal came on the Devils' only chance with the man-adnvatage.

The Penguins played most of the game without their top defenseman, Kris Letang. He received a game misconduct at 6:14 of the opening period for not having his sweater tied down when he fought Travis Zajac of the Devils.

Too bad for the Penguins that Zajac had his tied down -- or at least, didn't have it yanked over his head to prove that it wasn't -- because he put the Devils in front, 1-0, at 3:43 of the second.

Zajac got between defensemen Paul Martin and Zbynek Michalek, then put a backhander behind goalie Brent Johnson from the inner edge of the left circle.

Tyler Kennedy countered for the Penguins almost immediately, however.

He took the puck from Devils left winger Ilya Kovalchuk along the right-wing boards in the New Jersey end before throwing a high shot over goalie Martin Brodeur's glove from just above the dot at 5:58 for his 15th goal of the season and the final one in regulation.

The Penguins (37-21-8) will play at Boston tonight at 7:08.

First Published: March 5, 2011, 7:30 a.m.