The highlight of the night for the New Jersey Devils at PPG Paints Arena was when the Pittsburgh Penguins faithful gave golden goalscorer Jack Hughes a standing ovation to solidify Team USA’s victory at the 2026 Winter Olympics.
Then again, it was penguins all night.
Fork is found in the kitchen. In other words, the Devils gave up the game’s first goal – once again – to the Penguins in the first period.
Late in the opening frame, Arseniy Gritsyuk was charged a minor penalty or fouled Penguins defenseman, Parker Wotherspoon, and the Penguins went on the power play.
About a minute into the man advantage for Pittsburgh, Kris Letang’s blast was redirected by Tommy Novak, giving the Penguins a 1–0 lead.
It was a slow first period for the Devils, who ended the period with a 9-6 shot differential deficit.
However, the second season started much better. In a similar manner to how Novak scored – albeit at power – Hughes fed Dougie Hamilton at the Penguins blueline for a one-time blast.
Paul Cotter redirected a Hamilton shot and tied the game at one.
Dan Muse and the Penguins challenged the Devils goal for goaltender interference. Still, the challenge went New Jersey’s way, which put a goal on the board and sent the Devils to the power play.
Still, the Devils failed to convert the man advantage and three additional power plays gained in the second period.
It was all Penguins in the third period as they regained the lead after quickly taking control of the game.
At 6:30 of the final frame, Ryan Shea’s rocket from the left circle hit the cross bar and bounced off Connor Clifton at the opposite point. When the puck came to him the veteran defenseman did not hesitate, wound up and scored to give the Penguins a 2–1 lead.
50 seconds later, Yegor Chinakhov caught the Devils napping. He slipped behind the Devils defense and Evgeni Malkin fed him for a half-breakaway and Chinakhov scored to put the Penguins ahead by two goals, making the game 3–1.
The Devils pulled Markstrom with less than four minutes to play and after the man advantage, Clifton had the puck taken out of play and sat for delay of game.
Blake Lizotte hit an empty net to seal the Devils’ 29th loss of the season and fifth consecutive.
Jacob Markstrom’s strong start wasted. The Swiss goaltender brought a little Olympic swag back with him. Still, they surrendered three goals on 33 shots they faced.
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