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Crosby, Pens thump Devils

Feb 2, 2013 - 10:42 PM Pittsburgh, PA (Sports Network) - Sidney Crosby and Chris Kunitz each had a goal and two assists as the Pittsburgh Penguins thumped the New Jersey Devils, 5-1, at CONSOL Energy Center.

Kris Letang, Brandon Sutter and Robert Bortuzzo each lit the lamp for the Penguins, who got their first home win of the season in three tries. Marc- Andre Fleury needed to make just 15 stops for the win.

"We were able to get things out of our zone quickly and the penalty kill did great," said Crosby. "We made a big commitment to our defense today and it was nice to get that reward."

Andy Greene scored the lone goal of the game for the Devils, who have dropped four straight games. Martin Brodeur was tagged for all five goals on 30 shots.

"They played well defensively and held the puck most of the game," said Brodeur. "It was hard to get shots on net and generate any offense. When a team like that plays they way they did, you're not going to win any games."

After the first 20 minutes passed without a goal, the Penguins scored twice in the first half of the second period.

The first goal came shortly after Pittsburgh killed off a penalty with Sutter throwing a shot on net from the slot that Brodeur stopped, but he followed up his own rebound and backhanded it in from the right at the 2:27 mark.

Holding the puck in his own end, Anton Volchenkov attempted a cross-ice pass from the left circle, but he didn't get enough on it and Kunitz put home the gift with a wrister with 10:04 to play in the frame.

New Jersey, though, got one back while shorthanded to make it a 2-1 game. After bringing the puck into the Penguins' end, Dainius Zubrus sent a pass from the right point to the front where Greene was able to slide a backhand between the pads of Fleury with 7:37 to play in the second.

The Penguins blew the game open in the final period with the first goal coming at the 2:31 mark. A hard pass from the right boards by Kunitz went to the slot where Letang snapped a wrister over the glove of Brodeur.

Less than five minutes later, Crosby received a pass and skated down the left wing before snapping a shot over the arm of Brodeur for a 4-1 advantage.

Bortuzzo's first career goal came off a slap shot from the high slot with 10:09 to play to cap the scoring in the contest.

Game Notes

New Jersey plays in New York against the Islanders on Sunday ... Pittsburgh hits the road for a game in Washington on Sunday ... These two squads split six games last season ... New Jersey went scoreless in two power play chances while Pittsburgh failed to score on three power play opportunities.