Bad Bounces, Penguins Smothered in New Jersey

NEWARK — The Pittsburgh Penguins (15-15-5) were present and accounted for but never found the goal against the New Jersey Devils (22-11-3) and registered just 12 shots on the rough ice against tight New Jersey coverage at the Prudential Center Saturday.

New Jersey earned the breaks with goals late in the second period and midway through the third for the 3-0 win. It was the eighth time in nine games that New Jersey allowed less than 20 shots.

It wasn’t pretty, but that wasn’t entirely either team’s fault as the game began just hours after a Princeton-Rutgers college basketball game at the arena, so the ice had a particular rototilled quality.

Former Penguins depth forward Stefan Noesen, who has carved out an NHL career since the Penguins waived him on Dec. 19, 2019,  scored the only goal of the first 40 minutes. He was uncovered in front of the Penguins net as New Jersey center Nico Hischier got a step ahead of Penguins defenseman Owen Pickering on the right wing.

With the passing lane, Hischier’s backhand pass sailed through the slot to Noesen (15) near the back post for a stuff-in goal at 17:32 of the second.

New Jersey scored the clincher during a physical scrum in front of the Penguins’ net. As Noesen shoved Penguins defenseman Ryan Shea out of the way, Hischier (17) slipped the puck through everyone at 7:26 of the third.

The shots were hard to come by for most of the evening.

On the second shift of the game, Evgeni Malkin jumped New Jersey’s breakout and had a breakaway. However, after neatly beating New Jersey goalie Jacob Markstrom with a backhand deke, the puck bounced off his stick.

The Penguins had several high-grade chances in the first several minutes, and New Jersey later had several good chances, but bouncing pucks and desperate defense kept the game scoreless.

The second period featured several more chances in which the puck didn’t cooperate with the players, including what would have been a breakaway by New Jersey’s top center, Jack Hughes, later in the second period. Hughes kept skating toward the net, but the puck stopped a few feet back.

Four shots. That’s how many shots the Penguins allowed in the first period. However, their buttoned-up defensive approach combined with the ice suppressed their shot total to five.

While the teams combined for only nine shots in the first, New Jersey claimed 10 shots in the second, while the Penguins chased the puck and the game, registering just four.

The Penguins’ best chance of the second period belonged to Sidney Crosby, who kicked the puck to his stick and had a wide-open net, but Markstrom lunged with his glove extended. He barely deflected Crosby’s shot, but it was just enough, and the puck hit the post.

New Jersey had 14 shots in the third period but allowed the Penguins only three in the third. New Jersey outshot the Penguins 28-12

According to NaturalStatTrick.com, the Penguins out-chanced New Jersey 4-2 in the first period but were then out-chanced 27-9 in the final 40 minutes.

Timo Meier (12) scored the empty netter. Penguins winger Michael Bunting and New Jersey defenseman Jonas Siegenthaler tangled after the empty netter, and both were given 10-minute misconduct penalties.

Penguins Notes

Rookie defenseman Owen Pickering was not on the bench for the third period. UPDATE: Coach Mike Sullivan said Pickering has an upper-body injury. He had no further information.

Defenseman Matt Grzelcyk was injured and left the game briefly in the third period.