Another shootout another loss: 2-goal comeback not enough as Penguins lose to Devils

The Penguins always have a tough time playing the New Jersey Devils have it be on the road or at home, and this time was more of the same. The Devils got the best of the Penguins yet again in a shootout Tuesday night but the Penguins battled. They came back from a 2-goal deficit and outshot the Devils in a game where the Penguins deserved two points instead of one.

But the end result stayed the same as Alex Nedeljkovic could not come up with one more save in the shootout and the Penguins dropped this one 3-2.

First Period

This period was mostly dominated by the Penguins but really picked up at the end of the period. With a few minutes left on the clock, Rickard Rakell thought he scored for a 1-0 Penguins lead but it was waived off immediately and reviewed for a kicking motion. It was ruled no goal twice on the play.

And then in the final moments of the period, Jack Hughes potted a rebound for the Devils and they took a 1-0 lead into the second period of play.

Second Period

This period started out with more of the same as Jack Hughes got on the board again for the Devils on a nice cross-ice feed for a one-timer. It was 2-0 Devils and the Penguins were reeling.

But Rickard Rakell got one back for the Penguins on a wraparound and he felt on top of the world as he had one disallowed in the first period.

The Devils took a 2-1 lead into the third period.

Third Period

This period was chaotic as a few minutes into the third period, Crosby collided with Luke Hughes and Erik Haula and went down holding his left arm/shoulder and went to the locker room in a lot of pain.

And then rallying for their captain, the Penguins were able to find the equalizer as Kevin Hayes tied it up in the middle of the third minutes before Crosby returned.

The Penguins and Devils were headed to overtime at the paint can.

Overtime

The Penguins and Devils played a dramatic overtime as the Penguins held on to the puck for the majority of the overtime period.

But fast forward to the final minute as Crosby came down the left side on a 3-on-1 and decided to pass instead of shoot, the shot went wide, and Jack Hughes received a stretch pass and found himself on a breakaway.

But Nedeljkovic absolutely robbed Hughes with the glove and heard a lot of cheers from the crowd. Nedeljkovic's save sent these two teams to a shootout.

Shootout

The shootout was resolved in seven rounds as Paul Cotter, Dougie Hamilton, and Timo Meier (GWG) scored for the Devils.

As Rakell and Beauvillier scored for the Penguins. But on the Penguins last shootout attempt of the game, coach Sullivan decided to send out Cody Glass instead of Tomasino or Karlsson and it seemed to have cost them.

Shootouts should ultimately be abolished and are anyone's game, but a very questionable decision might have cost the Penguins an extra point in this one.