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Ondrej Palat, New Jersey Devils (Jess Starr/The Hockey Writers)

3 Takeaways From the Devils’ 4-2 Loss to the Penguins

Originally posted on The Hockey Writers | By Jess Amato | Last updated Apr 12, 2025 12:05 PM ET

On Friday, April 11, the New Jersey Devils hosted the Pittsburgh Penguins at the Prudential Center. Despite holding onto a strong early-game lead, the Devils fell to the Penguins 4-2. The season series ends in a tie, with both teams taking two wins.

Devils Had Strong Early Lead

The Devils kicked off scoring just 15 seconds into the first period.

Erik Haula started with the puck in the Devils’ zone and sent it around the boards, where it found Brett Pesce. He sent it down the center of the ice for Dawson Mercer to pick it up. Using his speed, Haula skated through the center of the ice and found a pass from Mercer. On a breakaway, Haula ripped a shot into the net early in the first period.

Six minutes into the first period, Seamus Casey passed the puck across the ice for Cody Glass. Glass took the shot, but the puck deflected off of Ondrej Palat’s stick, earning him the goal.

Early into the game, the Devils took a commanding lead. The Devils had two goals before the Penguins even recorded their first shot on net. Not only this, but Palat scored his first goal in six games. With his goal in this game, he has 15 total for the season. Palat has also recorded 13 assists, which gives him 28 points total. He’s currently left wing on the third line alongside Glass and Daniel Sprong.

Hughes Opened Scoring for Penguins

The Penguins scored their first goal ten minutes after Palat’s. Technically, the goal wasn’t scored by someone on the Penguins.

Evgeni Malkin tried to tip the puck into the net from behind, but it landed on Jake Allen’s skate. Luke Hughes was in the blue paint, trying to keep the puck out of the net. Although he got it on his stick, Hughes sent the puck into the net instead of away from it. While the goal was credited to Malkin, it was Hughes who scored for the Penguins.

With this goal, Hughes earned a minus-1 in this game. Overall for the season, this puts him at minus-7. After his brother’s injury, Hughes had been solid, putting up several goals and assists. Perhaps the pressure is now getting to him.

Devils Had a Weak Penalty Kill

Two of the four goals scored by the Penguins were on a power-play opportunity. One minute into the second period, Pesce took a seat for hooking. Just five seconds later, the Penguins capitalized on the man advantage. In the third period, there was only one penalty; Glass took a seat for a high stick on Sidney Crosby. With 39 seconds left in the power play, Crosby scored a revenge goal to put the Penguins in the lead.

Pittsburgh had six penalty minutes in this game. The Devils could not capitalize on this opportunity once.

New Jersey has more power-play goals than Pittsburgh. Throughout the season, the Devils have scored 58 power-play goals, giving them a three-way tie for third place with the Ottawa Senators and the Tampa Bay Lightning. Although the Penguins aren’t a great team, they are in a tie for seventh with the Florida Panthers for power-play goals, scoring 55 this season.

The Devils are ranked fifth overall in the league with their penalty kill at 81.9%. Pittsburgh is in the middle of the pack, with 78.2%, and ranked 17th overall. The Devils’ penalty kill should have been their strength, however, in this game, it was their downfall.