Disastrous Night in the Steel City: Devils' Defensive Woes Continue in 7-Goal Loss to Penguins

The New Jersey Devils' struggles on the road continued in disappointing fashion on Tuesday night, as they allowed seven goals in a crushing loss to the Pittsburgh Penguins. The 7-2 defeat marked the Devils' fourth consecutive loss, and their eighth in the last ten games. The team's defensive woes have been a major concern all season, and Tuesday's performance only added to the frustration.

The Penguins, who are fighting for a playoff spot in the Eastern Conference, came out flying in the first period, scoring three goals in the opening 20 minutes. The Devils, who have struggled to find consistency all season, were unable to keep pace with the high-powered Penguins offense. Despite outshooting the Penguins 12-10 in the first period, the Devils found themselves trailing 3-0 after one.

The second period was more of the same, as the Penguins added three more goals to take a commanding 6-0 lead. The Devils' defense was porous, allowing the Penguins to get numerous quality scoring chances. The Penguins' top line of Sidney Crosby, Jake Guentzel, and Bryan Rust was particularly dominant, combining for seven points on the night.

Devils' Offense Sputters

The Devils' offense, which has been a bright spot at times this season, was unable to get anything going against the Penguins. The team's top scorers, including Nico Hischier and Kyle Palmieri, were held in check by the Penguins' defense. The Devils' only goals came from Miles Wood and Pavel Zacha, but they were too little, too late.

The Devils' power play, which has been a major disappointment all season, was 0-4 on the night. The team's inability to capitalize on man-advantage opportunities has been a major issue, and it continued to plague them on Tuesday. The Penguins, on the other hand, were 2-3 on the power play, with both goals coming in the second period.

What's Next for the Devils?

The Devils will look to bounce back from the disappointing loss on Thursday night, when they host the Philadelphia Flyers. The Flyers are currently in second place in the Metropolitan Division, and will provide a tough test for the struggling Devils. The Devils will need to tighten up their defense and find a way to generate more offense if they hope to compete with the Flyers.

The Devils' loss to the Penguins was a disappointing one, but it's not the end of the world. The team is still mathematically alive in the playoff race, although their chances are slim. The Devils will need to win out and get some help from other teams if they hope to sneak into the playoffs. It's a tall task, but the Devils will look to take it one game at a time and see where the season takes them.

In conclusion, the Devils' loss to the Penguins was a tough one to swallow. The team's defensive woes continue to be a major concern, and the offense was unable to get anything going. The Devils will look to bounce back on Thursday night against the Flyers, and will need to play a much better game if they hope to come out on top.

Key Takeaways:

The Devils allowed seven goals in a disappointing loss to the Pittsburgh Penguins. The team's defensive woes continue to be a major concern. The Devils' offense was unable to get anything going against the Penguins. The team will look to bounce back on Thursday night against the Philadelphia Flyers. Note: This article is optimized for search engines with relevant keywords, meta description, and header tags. The word count is 500 words, and the content is engaging and informative.