93.7 The Fan (PITTSBURGH) - The Penguins had their five game win streak snapped after a 5-2 loss to the New Jersey Devils.
"We were not really good in any area to be honest," said Sidney Crosby. "I think we didn't execute well and then we got a couple of leads and then they got it back right away. They were a desperate team, I thought they just played better, they worked us, and some nights you're not going to have your best. I thought we beat ourselves a bit."
From their own blue line, Jake Guentzel sent a pass all the way to the other blue line to Bryan Rust for a breakaway backhanded goal to make it 1-0 Penguins. Seven minutes later Rust got burned on a lazy pass with the Penguins on the power play and would pay for it, as Erica Haula stole the pass and the Devils had a 2-on-1 setting up a shorthanded goal for Curtis Lazar to tie the game 1-1.
In the second period it was Rust again with a goal, after Eric Karlsson sent a backhander at the net. Vitek Vanecek saved Karlsson's backhander and then Rust got the rebound score to give the Penguins the lead back. Just 38 seconds later, New Jersey would tie it on a Nathan Bastian back handed goal past Tristan Jarry.
The third period was all New Jersey, as Jesper Bratt scored just 2:35 into the period. Alexander Holtz would add to the lead halfway through the third period. 20 seconds later, Tyler Toffoli scored as New Jersey pulled away.
"It was a bit of an up and down game obviously," said Jarry. "They were on the right side of things more than we were. It was a bit of a back and forth, I think when we're playing our game those things kind of close up and I think we take a lot of that away, I think it'll get better next game."
The Pens have a tough road ahead as they go to Carolina Saturday and then host Vegas on Sunday.