Penguins 6, Devils 1
NEWARK, N.J. -- Evgeni Malkin scored his 26th and 27th goals as the Pittsburgh Penguins easily dispatched the New Jersey Devils 6-1 at Prudential Center on Sunday.
The win pushed the Penguins into the first wild-card spot in the East and five points ahead of the ninth-place Philadelphia Flyers.
Matt Cullen and Nick Bonino also scored for the Penguins, who received 17 saves from goaltender Matthew Murray.
Devils right winger Kyle Palmieri scored his 25th goal and Keith Kinkaid stopped 24 shots.
The Penguins took advantage of Devils right winger Jordin Tootoo jumping Penguins call-up Tom Sestito after a first-period faceoff. On the ensuing power play, Malkin drove a one-timer from the right face-off circle past Kinkaid to make it 1-0 at 9:14.
Cullen increased the lead to 2-0 just 38 seconds later. The 39-year-old reached double digits in goals for the 13th time in his career when he beat Kinkaid with a long wrist shot for an unassisted goal.
Bonino made it 3-0 at 1:37 of the second period with his fourth of the season. Bryan Rust lost control of the puck on an odd-man rush and shoveled toward the front of the net. Devils defenseman Damon Severson had it slide past him and right to Bonino, who pushed it past a helpless Kinkaid.
Palmieri got the Devils on the board with a breakaway goal at 7:52. Reid Boucher sprung Palmieri with a pass while the Penguins defense was changing, and Palmieri slipped a backhand past a fallen Murray to make it 3-1.
Malkin scored his second of the game with 4:37 left in the period after Devils defenseman Jon Merrill fell at the blue line. That allowed Malkin to collect the puck and beat Kinkaid with a wrist shot that increased the lead to 4-1.
Rust made it 5-1 at 6:49 of the third period. Defenseman Justin Schultz earned his first point as a Penguin by firing a hard pass toward the slot that Rust deflected into the top corner of the net.
The Penguins took a 6-1 lead after Wilson's goal with 3:54 remaining. It was set up by a cross-ice pass from center Sidney Crosby, who had two assists.
NOTES: Penguins LW Carl Hagelin did not play due to an upper-body injury he suffered against the Calgary Flames on Saturday. Coach Mike Sullivan said Hagelin passed concussion protocol but was held out for precautionary reasons. ... Penguins D Justin Schultz played his first game since being acquired in a trade on Feb. 27. ... Devils G Cory Schneider did not dress due to a lower-body injury. An updated on Schneider's status is expected later Sunday. ... Devils C Jacob Josefson is listed as day-to-day with an upper-body injury.