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Devils stop, top the Penguins, 2-1

NEWARK, N.J. (AP) — Mackenzie Blackwood made 38 saves as the New Jersey Devils beat the Pittsburgh Penguins 2-1 on Friday night.

Travis Zajac and Blake Coleman scored for the Devils.

Jack Johnson scored for Penguins, and Matt Murray made 19 saves.

It was Pittsburgh’s first game without star center Sidney Crosby, who is expected to miss at least six weeks following surgery for a core muscle injury.

Zajac scored the only goal of the opening period at 6:59, converting a setup in the slot from Jesper Bratt.

The goal ended a 10-game point drought for Zajac, the longest in the veteran center’s career.

Blackwood kept the Penguins off the board with a several close-in stops, denying Nick Bjugstad and Jake Guentzel.

Blackwood continued to shine in the second period, stopping all 15 Pittsburgh shots. He nimbly shifted his 6-foot-4 frame to stop Brandon Tanev and Brian Dumoulin.

Blackwood got added support when Coleman scored with 4.1 second remaining in the period to give the Devils a 2-0 lead. Coleman shot from the left wing, and Murray made the save. But, the puck wound up sitting in the crease. Coleman was first on the scene to knock in his own rebound for an unassisted goal.

In the third, Pittsburgh came close early when Guentzel hit the post.

The Penguins finally broke through with a goal from an unlikely source. Johnson jumped into the play and scored from the left dot. It was defenseman’s first goal in 92 games, cutting the Devils lead to 2-1.

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