Devils at Penguins
THE STORY: The Pittsburgh Penguins shoot for their 10th straight home win Sunday when they host the New Jersey Devils. Pittsburgh, which already has clinched a playoff spot, is coming off its first regulation loss in 15 games as it fell in Ottawa on Saturday. The Penguins are three points behind the New York Rangers for first place in both the Atlantic Division and Eastern Conference. Sixth in the East, New Jersey has lost four of six overall and three of five on the road.
TV: 7 p.m. ET, MSG (New Jersey), Root Sports (Pittsburgh)
ABOUT THE DEVILS (42-27-6): New Jersey enters Sunday sixth in the East, six points behind fifth-place Philadelphia and four ahead of seventh-place Ottawa. Friday's 4-3 shootout loss to Toronto marked the first time in six contests the Devils scored more than two goals. Ilya Kovalchuk has scored just one goal over his last nine games. The club is hoping its goal scorers in Friday's setback are heating up. Captain Zach Parise netted his first goal in six contests, rookie Adam Henrique ended his 17-game drought and Jacob Josefson tallied for the first time since March 30, 2011.
ABOUT THE PENGUINS (46-22-6): Pittsburgh was 13-0-1, including a 9-0-1 mark this month, before losing an 8-4 decision to the Senators on Saturday. One bright spot in the setback was Sidney Crosby, who scored his first goal since returning from concussion-like symptoms on March 15. The captain has collected 11 points in his six games back in the lineup. Evgeni Malkin, who is in line for his second Art Ross Trophy with a league-leading 95 points, had his streaks of five games with a goal and six with a point snapped in Ottawa. Malkin has registered seven goals and seven assists in his last seven contests. The superstar has gone two games without a point only three times this season and never has gone three contests without getting on the scoresheet. James Neal also has been on a torrid pace, collecting 14 points in his last seven matches and eight in his last three games.
OVERTIME:
1. The Devils have lost four of their last five visits to Pittsburgh.
2. New Jersey has scored two goals or less in each of its last five road games.