Devils take down Penguins, 5-2
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NEWARK, N.J. -- Ilya Kovalchuk scored one goal and assisted on two others to lead New Jersey to a 5-2 victory today over the Penguins at the Prudential Center.
The loss was just the Penguins' second in 11 games and dropped their record to 30-19-4.
Kovalchuk put the Devils in front, 1-0, at 2:21 of the opening period after a puckhandling gaffe by Penguins goalie Marc-Andre Fleury behind his net.
Fleury lost the puck to Patrik Elias behind the goal line, and Elias fed it in front to Kovalchuk, who steered a shot between Fleury's legs.
Kovalchuk figured in on New Jersey's second goal, as well, exchanging passes with defenseman Anton Volchenkov before Volchenkov beat Fleury from below the left hash at 9:33.
The goal was Volchenkov's first in 104 games, a streak dating to April 1, 2010.
Dainius Zubrus chased Fleury from the game with a shorthanded goal at 2:28 of the second.
Fleury stopped Kovalchuk, who had stolen the puck from Penguins defenseman Paul Martin, but Zubrus put in the rebound.
Backup goalie Brent Johnson entered the game at that point, and just 34 seconds later, Penguins defenseman Matt Niskanen beat Devils goalie Martin Brodeur from near the top of the left circle for his third of the season to make it 3-1.
Assists went to Cal O'Reilly -- his first point as a Penguin -- and Matt Cooke.
Zach Parise restored New Jersey's three-goal cushion at 11:22, however, as he jammed a puck past Johnson from near the left post.
Evgeni Malkin got the Penguins' second goal when he put a shot between Brodeur's legs at 11:43 of the third.
David Clarkson of the Devils hit an empty net with 46.7 seconds to play to close out the scoring.
The Penguins will visit Montreal Tuesday at 7:38 p.m.
First Published February 5, 2012 3:47 pm
