The Penguins lead the Devils, 2-1, in the third period of their game tonight at the CONSOL Energy Center.

Sidney Crosby almost scored his second goal of the night at 12:21 of the third period. Crosby sent a wrist shot over the glove of Johan Hedberg, put the puck hit the pipe and came out into the slot.

David Clarkson and Deryk Engelland dropped the gloves at 14:31 of the period. The scrap started because of a hit Clarkson put on Engelland in the Penguins zone. Engelland landed some solid right hooks, but Clarkson dragged the defenseman down to end the fight.

Hedberg stoned Kris Letang to hold the deficit at one. With Rod Pelley in the box for delay of game, Letang sprung free in New Jersey’s defensive zone. The defenseman drove the net and shot low into the pads. Hedberg made the save, then absorbed the hit from Letang when he crashed the crease.

The Penguins lead in shots, 27-18. Pittsburgh, already 0-for-4 with the man advantage tonight, will have 1:09 remaining on their fifth powerplay opportunity, a tripping minor to Dainius Zubrus, to begin the third period.

Travis Zajac nearly tied the game with 4:55 left in the middle period. Jamie Langenbrunner stripped former teammate Paul Martin in the neutral zone and joined Zajac for a 2-on-1 rush. The captain passed the puck to Zajac, who cut toward the front of the net. He moved across the crease, looking to backhand a shot past the blocker of Marc-Andre Fleury. Penguins defenseman Zybynek Michalek ended the chance, knocking the puck off Zajac’s stick.

Shortly after that, Fleury stoned a Dainius Zubrus attempt from the slot. The Devils’ center skated the puck into the slot and fired a shot glove side. Fleury gloved the attempt and held on for the whistle.

Crosby’s goal at 12:49 of the second period put the Penguins ahead, 2-1.

Alex Goligosky drove the net in the Devils zone, putting a shot on Hedberg. The Devils’ goalie blocked the initial shot, but a rebound caromed off his pads and to the left of goal. Crosby, who was all alone at the side of the net, went to one knee and hammered home the shot for his 24th goal of the season.

Crosby now has two points tonight (one goal, one assist). He’s been averaging two points per game during his 16-game point streak.

Colin White should take the blame for that goal. He left Crosby all alone to come to the front of the net. I don’t know if there was a breakdown in communication, but you don’t ever leave Crosby alone near your net.

I’m not sure what the ice conditions are like at the Penguins new arena, but it looks choppy here in the second period. Several pucks have bounced over sticks, and players from both teams are wiping out on the ice.

Pascal Dupuis had an opportunity for his second goal of the game only 33 seconds into the second period. White tried to shoot the puck off a faceoff in the Penguins zone, but the puck was blocked to the neutral zone. Dupuis raced ahead of the defense and broke in on a short breakaway. Hedberg came out to challenge, and turned away the scoring chance.

The Penguins outshot the Devils, 16-8, in that first period. Pittsburgh also had three powerplay opportunties, generating six shots. The Devils were able to kill off all three opportunities.

An early whistle cost the Devils a chance for a rebound opportunity with 25 seconds left in the period. The refs blew the play dead after it appeared Fleury stopped and held a shot. But the puck trickled behind the Penguins goalie and sat all alone in the crease.

Zubrus had a beautiful scoring opportunity denied with less than a minute left in the first period. The center caused a turnover in the Penguins zone and drove the net. He couldn’t keep the puck on his stick, and missed out on an opportunity to put a shot on net.

Dupuis’ goal at 15:41 of the first period pulled the Penguins even with the Devils, 1-1.

Crosby started the play in the neutral zone, kicking a loose puck from his back skate to the blade of his stick. The Penguins captain skated into the Devils zone along the side boards, and found Dupuis open in the middle of the Devils zone. Dupuis ripped a one-timer past Hedberg for his eighth goal of the year.

The assist stretched Crosby’s point streak to 16 games.

Brian Rolston’s powerplay goal at 14:20 of the first period put the Devils ahead, 1-0.

With Dupuis in the box for hooking, Mattias Tedenby curled behind the Penguins net with possession of the puck. He came up to the side boards and passed the puck to Jason Arnott, who was streaking into the zone. The center blasted a shot toward net that went wide right. The puck hit Rolston, and the left-winger corralled the loose puck and fired it home for his second goal of the season.

**********

Here were the starting lineups:

DEVILS:

Ilya Kovalchuk – Travis Zajac – Jamie Langenbrunner; Colin White – Henrik Tallinder; Johan Hedberg

PENGUINS

Chris Kunitz – Sidney Crosby – Pascal Dupuis; Brooks Orpik – Kris Letang; Marc Andre-Fleury

**********

The New Jersey Devils (8-16-2) face off tonight against the Pittsburgh Penguins (18-8-2) tonight at the CONSOL Energy Center in Pittsburgh.

It’s the first trip to the Penguins new arena for the Devils. Pittsburgh moved out of Mellon Arena after last season.

The Devils are looking to break a five-game road losing streak tonight.

Johan Hedberg will get the start tonight for the Devils. Marc-Andre Fleury, who has lost five straight against the Devils, will start for the Penguins. Martin Brodeur will dress as Hedberg’s backup.

Devils’ coach John MacLean decided to dress seven defensemen tonight, meaning Ilya Kovalchuk will likely be double-shifted tonight.