NEWARK, N.J. (AP) — Brian Boyle scored the tiebreaking goal early in the third period, Tristan Jarry made 28 saves and the Pittsburgh Penguins kept rolling with a 4-2 win over the New Jersey Devils on Saturday.
Mike Matheson, Bryan Rust and Jake Guentzel also scored for the Penguins, who won their third straight overall and sixth straight on the road. Pittsburgh improved to 7-1-3 in its last 11 games.
Jack Hughes and Nico Hischier scored for the Devils, who had scored seven goals in each of their last two games — both road wins — but nonetheless fell to 3-8-0 in their last 11.
Boyle whipped the puck past Devils goalie Jon Gillies at 6:58 of the third. The popular 37-year-old forward, who played for New Jersey from 2017-19, pumped his fist in exultation after scoring his sixth goal of the season.
Guentzel cemented the win with an empty-netter at 18:53, his team-best 24th goal of the season. Assists went to Rust and Sidney Crosby, who had two in the game but remains stuck on 499 career goals.
The Penguins are 11-3-1 in their last 15 against New Jersey and have won five straight at the Prudential Center.
Rust scored 36 seconds into the third to put the Penguins ahead 2-1, tipping a shot by defenseman Kris Letang and past Gillies for his 17th goal. It came 6 seconds after a bench minor penalty to the Devils had expired.
Rust has scored in five straight games and has 16 goals and 28 points in his last 16 games.
Hischier tied the game at 2 with his 13th goal of the season at 2:51 of the third, extending his goal-scoring streak to four games.
Hughes opened the scoring for the Devils at 7:02 of the second. Playing for the first time since missing three games in COVID-19 protocols, Hughes beat Jarry for his 13th goal of the season.
Matheson tied it with his seventh goal of the season at 13:16 of the period, rifling a shot from just inside the blue line.
Gillies made 31 saves for New Jersey.
NOTES: The Devils were without leading scorer Jesper Bratt because of an upper-body injury and F Janne Kuokkanen because of a wrist injury. New Jersey also scratched F Andreas Johnsson and D Christian Jaros. ... Pittsburgh F Evgeni Malkin returned after missing the previous two games in COVID-19 protocols. ... The Penguins scratched Ds Radim Zoharna and Mark Friedman. ... Pittsburgh F Teddy Blueger is out until March with a fractured jaw.
UP NEXT
Penguins: Host Philadelphia on Tuesday.
Devils: Host Tampa Bay on Tuesday.
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