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Another shootout win for Pens

Mar 26, 2011 - 4:44 AM Pittsburgh, PA (Sports Network) - James Neal scored the game's only goal in the third round of the shootout, and the Pittsburgh Penguins inched closer to first place in the Atlantic Division with a 1-0 victory over the New Jersey Devils at Consol Energy Center.

Nobody turned on the red light until Neal ripped a shot under the crossbar to begin the third round. Marc-Andre Fleury then denied New Jersey's Patrik Elias to assure the extra point for Pittsburgh.

Fleury finished with 21 saves, while Devils goaltender Martin Brodeur stopped all 26 shots he faced through regulation and overtime.

"It was a great 65 minutes; everyone played hard," Fleury said.

The Penguins have won three straight -- all coming via the shootout -- and seven of their last nine games overall. Pittsburgh closed to within two points of Eastern Conference-leading Philadelphia, although the Flyers have two games in hand.

New Jersey has dropped four of five to fall 10 points behind eighth-place Buffalo.

"We got a point at least, but we needed two. It's not a great situation," Brodeur said.

The first period was a precursor to the final outcome as the clubs combined for just four shots (three for Pittsburgh). The shot total established a Penguins' record for the fewest combined shots in a single period between both teams.

New Jersey failed to capitalize on a pair of power plays in both the second and third period.

Game Notes

New Jersey forward Travis Zajac appeared in his 400th NHL game...Penguins forward Mike Comrie played for the first time since November 24. He had missed 52 games because of a hip injury that required surgery... Devils defenseman Colin White suffered a lower-body injury during the first period and did not return.