Pens topple Devils

Associated Press

NEWARK, N.J.

Alex Goligoski couldn’t believe his eyes. The New Jersey Devils were really going to play an NHL game with only 15 skaters.

“It was very weird seeing only three lines on the scout sheet prior to the game,” Goligoski, of the Pittsburgh Penguins, said. “I didn’t think it was real.”

Goligoski and Mark Letestu scored goals within a three-minute span covering the first and second periods to lead the Penguins to a 3-1 victory over the undermanned Devils on Monday.

“It was a little different,” Patrik Elias said. “But it was not an issue at all. It’s not like it was the 80th game of the season or anything. It was our third game. No one was out there too long. We played smart.”

The Devils played the game with a franchise-low 15 healthy skaters due to injuries to Anton Volchenkov and Brian Rolston. They also waived forward Pierre-Luc Letourneau-Leblond just as he was supposed to begin a one-game suspension for instigating a fight against Washington.

“We don’t use excuses,” said John MacLean, who is still searching for his first victory as a coach. “We had enough players. We just needed to compete better.”

Elias scored a third period goal to cut the Penguins’ lead in half, but Brent Johnson made nine saves over the final nine minutes to secure the victory.

Johnson made 30 saves in all to earn the win. Martin Brodeur made 28 for the Devils.

Former Devils defenseman Paul Martin, who signed with Pittsburgh over the summer, scored on an empty net with 10.9 seconds left. Martin also had an assist earlier in the game.

The Penguins scored with just 1:04 remaining in the first period, then struck again in the opening minutes of the second period, scoring a power-play goal.