Pittsburgh's superior shot generation and a dominant third period erased any doubt New Jersey created with a second-period equalizer. In a playoff-positioning game at Prudential Center, the Penguins' top-end depth proved the decisive structural advantage.
⚡TURNING POINT
Malkin's goal 6:50 into the third restored a two-goal cushion immediately after New Jersey had climbed back to 3-2, eliminating any runway for a Devils comeback. With Pittsburgh's shot share already tilted 30-21 for the game, NJD had no reserve capacity to absorb a fourth deficit.
🏆WHY PIT WON
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Pittsburgh's 55.3% faceoff rate created persistent zone entry advantages, reflected in a 30-21 shot differential that compounded pressure across all three periods.
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Three players — Chinakhov, Malkin, and Crosby — each contributed multi-point performances from different lineup positions, distributing offensive production across lines and preventing any defensive shutdown.
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Skinner conceded 0.10 goals below league average on 21 shots, removing error from Pittsburgh's margin of victory.
📉WHY NJD LOST
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Allen conceded 1.10 goals above league average on 29 shots — in a three-goal game, that margin directly accounts for the deficit.
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New Jersey's 18 blocked shots signal a team defending reactively rather than generating offensive solutions; 21 shots on net confirms the structural containment Pittsburgh imposed.
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NJD failed to convert the momentum of Hughes' 3-2 goal into sustained pressure — Pittsburgh responded with Malkin's go-ahead strike within 103 seconds of the next period.
Three Stars
Egor Chinakhov1st
PIT, R
1G 2A3 points+214:23 TOI
His involvement across three separate scoring sequences made him the connective tissue of Pittsburgh's offensive structure.
Evgeni Malkin2nd
PIT, C
1G 1A2 points+317:13 TOI
His third-period goal at the pre-determined turning point, combined with a plus-3 rating, quantifies his direct impact on the outcome.
Sidney Crosby3rd
PIT, C
0G 2A2 points+24 shots on goal in 14:43 TOI
His two assists connected directly to the game's decisive scoring sequences without registering a goal himself.
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Allen conceding 1.10 goals above average is the whole story — Pittsburgh's depth did the rest.
