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Devils try to keep playoff hopes alive in clash with Penguins

Mar 25, 2011 - 2:59 PM (Sports Network) - The New Jersey Devils' playoff hopes have taken a serious hit in the last week, but Jacques Lemaire's club will try to boost their postseason chances when they visit the Pittsburgh Penguins tonight at CONSOL Energy Center.

After posting a dreadful 10-29-2 record at the midway point of the season, the Devils have made a serious push at an Eastern Conference playoff race, but with just nine games left, New Jersey has almost ran out of time to qualify for the postseason.

The Devils are 12th in the East and are nine points behind Buffalo for the conference's eighth and final postseason berth.

Pittsburgh, meanwhile, is currently fourth in the East with 94 points and is also still alive in the Atlantic Division title race. The Penguins posted a shootout win in Philadelphia on Thursday to pull within four points of the Flyers for first place in the Atlantic.

Even after posting a 1-3-0 record in their last four games, the Devils still have a 24-6-2 mark over their last 32 games. However, New Jersey is coming off Tuesday's 4-1 loss in Boston, as Zdeno Chara notched a goal and two assists to lead the Bruins to victory at TD Garden.

Ilya Kovalchuk provided the sole offense for the Devils, while Martin Brodeur allowed three goals on 29 shots in defeat.

"We still feel confident in our game. We feel like we are one of the best, if not the best team in the second half," said Devils forward Brian Rolston about his club's charge from last place in the NHL to competing for a playoff spot. "You have to feel confident about where you're headed."

The Devils are making the third stop on a four-game road trip tonight and will close the swing Saturday in Buffalo. New Jersey is 16-20-1 away from the Garden State this season.

New Jersey has won the last two meetings with Pittsburgh to even the season series at two games apiece. The Devils recorded a 2-1 overtime victory on home ice when the clubs last met on March 4. Kovalchuk scored the OT winner in that meeting to post his only point in four games against the Pens this year.

The Devils have taken eight of 10 and nine out of 12 overall in this series and the clubs have split the last six encounters in the Steel City. New Jersey dropped a 2-1 regulation decision in its first-ever game at CONSOL Energy Center on Dec. 6.

In other news for New Jersey, the club could be close to getting Zach Parise back in the lineup. The star winger has been sidelined since late October with a knee injury that required surgery, but he traveled with the team to Pittsburgh and could play as early as Wednesday, when the Devils host the New York Islanders.

Parise had 38 goals and 82 points in 81 games for New Jersey last season. He had three goals and three assists in 12 tests before getting hurt this year.

Chris Kunitz tallied the winner in the fourth round of the shootout as Pittsburgh got past Philadelphia, 2-1, at Wells Fargo Center.

Tyler Kennedy tallied in regulation for the Penguins, who have won two straight, four of five and six of their last eight games.

Marc-Andre Fleury made 19 stops in the first 65 minutes, then three of four saves in the shootout. Fleury could get the start again tonight, as regular backup Brent Johnson was sidelined last evening with an upper-body injury.

Brad Thiessen filled in as the backup to Fleury on Thursday and he could serve in that capacity this evening.

The Penguins, of course, have dealt with an onslaught of injuries this year, with the biggest being the loss of Evgeni Malkin for the season and the concussion that has sidelined Sidney Crosby since early January. Crosby has been skating for over a week, but there is still not word on when he can return to game action.

"It is not something we have been fazed by before," said Penguins head coach Dan Bylsma of his club showing resilience with so many key players out of the lineup. "Our guys keep playing and keep the standard up no matter what is happening in the game."

Tonight marks the first of three straight on home ice for the Penguins, who are 22-13-2 as the host this season.