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Report Card: It Wasn’t Great, but Penguins Win 3rd Straight | PHN+

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PIttsburgh Penguins Sidney Crosby

The Pittsburgh Penguins played a mediocre game for the final 40 minutes but converted enough chances, and goalie Tristan Jarry made several sparkling saves. Colton Sceviour cleared waivers and scored two goals. The scoreboard looked like a laugher, though it was anything but easy as the Penguins eventually coasted to a 5-2 win over the New Jersey Devils on Sunday at the Prudential Center.

UPDATE: Late Sunday night, the NHL changed Sceviour’s Rust’s goal and credited Jake Guentzel. The change gave Guentzel a hat trick on Sunday night.

However, hours before the Monday trade deadline, the Penguins got Teddy Blueger back but lost another center. Frederick Gaudreau left the game in the second period and did not return. Penguins head coach Mike Sullivan said he has a lower-body injury, though the severity is unknown.

Gain Teddy Blueger. Lose Gaudreau. Such it the Penguins star-crossed injury luck.

“It was good,” Blueger said of his return after 12 games. “It was a little weird not playing for four weeks. It honestly felt like four months. So it was kind of tough at first.”

The Penguins’ aggressive forecheck and backcheck kept New Jersey off balance in the first period. Just a few minutes into the game, the Penguins fourth line with Teddy Blueger, who was activated from the IR before the game after missing the last 12 games, was robbed by New Jersey goalie MacKenzie Blackwood on a three-on-one.

Blueger had a Grade A chance, but Blackwood made a great save, only to see Colton Sceviour (4), who cleared waivers on Sunday at noon, stuff the wrap-around goal.

Three minutes later, Sceviour–did we mention he cleared waivers on Sunday–scored again. Off an offensive zone faceoff, he went to the net and deflected Mike Matheson’s rising shot. Hit him, deflected, same difference.

It was Sceviour’s first two-goal game since 2017.

Did we mention he cleared waivers on Sunday? Just checking.

“We’ve been winning hockey games. I’ve been contributing and helping the team do so, and that’s really all I’ve been focused on,” Sceviour said.

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