New Jersey DevilsNJD 1–4 Final Pittsburgh PenguinsPIT

Thursday, February 26, 2026

Final 1st2nd3rd T SOG
New Jersey DevilsNJD 010 1 30
Pittsburgh PenguinsPIT 103 4 37
Playoff odds, % Change
PIT +2.5
NJD -0.3
CBJ -0.8
WSH -0.4

How the result moved each team's playoff odds, calculated Feb 26, 2026 6:49 PM EST.

Highlights

Scoring

1st Period
18:51 PIT Tommy Novak (12)PP Kris Letang (23), Evgeni Malkin (32) · tip-in xG 0.08 0–1 ▶
2nd Period
4:56 NJD Paul Cotter (6) Dougie Hamilton (15), Jack Hughes (26) · deflected xG 0.21 1–1 ▶
3rd Period
6:30 PIT Connor Clifton (2) Ryan Shea (20), Anthony Mantha (23) · slap xG 0.03 1–2 ▶
7:20 PIT Egor Chinakhov (12) Evgeni Malkin (33) · wrist xG 0.19 1–3 ▶
18:01 PIT Blake Lizotte (7)SHEN Unassisted · wrist xG 0.72 1–4 ▶

Score away–home after each goal; season totals in parentheses.

Shot quality

Expected goals (xG) rate every unblocked shot by how often shots like it go in, from where it was taken, the shot type, the strength and what happened just before it. How it works

NJD 46%Deserve to win54% PIT
NJDPIT
3.60Expected goals4.57
1Goals (no shootout)4
2.56Expected goals, 5 on 52.32
74Shot attempts62
51Unblocked attempts49
30Shots on goal37

Game notes

What stood out as the game went on, from the play-by-play and the shifts. Time on the bench is counted in 5-on-5 play outside the penalty box; the note says the player sat, not why. Goals saved are against the shots' expected goals (xG).

2nd Period
9:20 NJD Deserve to win Deserve to win · NJD takes the lead, 63–37%
PIT had led since 2:26 of the 1st, by as much as 72%
10:30 NJD xG swing xG swing · Out-chanced PIT 1.29–0.28
In xG over 10 minutes, 0:30 to 10:30 of the 2nd; goals 1–0
3rd Period
3:30 NJD Goalie Goalie · Markstrom +2.0 goals saved
1 goal on 3.02 xG, 24 shots on goal
7:20 PIT Deserve to win Deserve to win · PIT takes the lead, 62–38%
NJD had led since 9:20 of the 2nd, by as much as 64%
10:36 PIT Goalie Goalie · Silovs +2.0 goals saved
1 goal on 3.01 xG, 25 shots on goal
16:52 NJD Pulled goalie Pulled goalie · Pulled Markstrom, down 3–1
With 3:08 left

Shot map

NJD shoots ←Bigger circle: higher xG; filled: goal→ PIT shoots
Evgeni Malkin: wrist, 6 ft, xG 0.16 (P1 0:33) Timo Meier: wrist, 33 ft, xG 0.03 (P1 1:06) Ryan Shea: wrist, 72 ft, xG 0.00 (P1 2:21) Tommy Novak: snap, 15 ft, xG 0.12 (P1 2:26) Egor Chinakhov: backhand, 10 ft, xG 0.04 (P1 2:27) Ryan Shea: wrist, 29 ft, xG 0.12 (P1 2:38) Connor Clifton: wrist, 8 ft, xG 0.14 (P1 2:49) Nico Hischier: wrist, 40 ft, xG 0.01 (P1 5:13) Arseny Gritsyuk: wrist, 21 ft, xG 0.12 (P1 6:05) Simon Nemec: wrist, 34 ft, xG 0.07 (P1 6:51) Dougie Hamilton: wrist, 66 ft, xG 0.00 (P1 6:56) Justin Brazeau: wrist, 20 ft, xG 0.08 (P1 8:59) Timo Meier: wrist, 20 ft, xG 0.12 (P1 9:15) Jonas Siegenthaler: tip-in, 12 ft, xG 0.11 (P1 10:16) Arseny Gritsyuk: wrist, 31 ft, xG 0.07 (P1 10:35) Jesper Bratt: wrist, 31 ft, xG 0.07 (P1 11:07) Brenden Dillon: wrist, 56 ft, xG 0.02 (P1 11:42) Nico Hischier: wrist, 11 ft, xG 0.21 (P1 12:09) Lenni Hameenaho: wrist, 27 ft, xG 0.11 (P1 13:07) Simon Nemec: wrist, 43 ft, xG 0.03 (P1 14:46) Egor Chinakhov: wrist, 52 ft, xG 0.01 (P1 15:03) Bryan Rust: wrist, 26 ft, xG 0.03 (P1 16:21) Avery Hayes: wrist, 90 ft, xG 0.00 (P1 16:56) Connor Dewar: tip-in, 8 ft, xG 0.12 (P1 17:13) Connor Dewar: wrist, 9 ft, xG 0.25 (P1 17:15) Rickard Rakell: wrist, 9 ft, xG 0.16 (P1 17:46) Simon Nemec: wrist, 20 ft, xG 0.06 (P1 19:21) Erik Karlsson: wrist, 55 ft, xG 0.02 (P2 0:29) Johnathan Kovacevic: wrist, 48 ft, xG 0.01 (P2 1:06) Connor Dewar: wrist, 21 ft, xG 0.17 (P2 2:26) Timo Meier: wrist, 49 ft, xG 0.04 (P2 3:19) Timo Meier: snap, 25 ft, xG 0.16 (P2 3:25) Jack Hughes: wrist, 47 ft, xG 0.02 (P2 4:32) Nico Hischier: wrist, 24 ft, xG 0.06 (P2 5:06) Nico Hischier: wrist, 24 ft, xG 0.10 (P2 6:22) Egor Chinakhov: wrist, 26 ft, xG 0.11 (P2 8:11) Ryan Shea: wrist, 178 ft, xG 0.00 (P2 9:02) Jesper Bratt: wrist, 15 ft, xG 0.12 (P2 9:17) Cody Glass: wrist, 8 ft, xG 0.48 (P2 9:20) Lenni Hameenaho: wrist, 35 ft, xG 0.05 (P2 10:12) Dawson Mercer: wrist, 7 ft, xG 0.04 (P2 10:13) Blake Lizotte: tip-in, 6 ft, xG 0.11 (P2 11:02) Bryan Rust: backhand, 9 ft, xG 0.19 (P2 11:04) Dougie Hamilton: slap, 39 ft, xG 0.09 (P2 11:43) Nico Hischier: wrist, 32 ft, xG 0.10 (P2 12:03) Jack Hughes: wrist, 13 ft, xG 0.02 (P2 12:04) Paul Cotter: wrist, 31 ft, xG 0.10 (P2 12:34) Jonas Siegenthaler: wrist, 69 ft, xG 0.01 (P2 12:38) Avery Hayes: backhand, 8 ft, xG 0.16 (P2 13:02) Rickard Rakell: wrist, 6 ft, xG 0.20 (P2 13:50) Nico Hischier: wrist, 169 ft, xG 0.00 (P2 13:51) Evgeni Malkin: snap, 34 ft, xG 0.09 (P2 14:02) Ben Kindel: wrist, 13 ft, xG 0.05 (P2 14:55) Tommy Novak: wrist, 7 ft, xG 0.04 (P2 15:07) Justin Brazeau: backhand, 6 ft, xG 0.05 (P2 15:08) Connor Dewar: wrist, 28 ft, xG 0.13 (P2 15:44) Connor Dewar: wrist, 33 ft, xG 0.09 (P2 16:07) Connor Brown: slap, 38 ft, xG 0.09 (P2 16:32) Evgeni Malkin: wrist, 33 ft, xG 0.09 (P2 17:58) Rickard Rakell: slap, 32 ft, xG 0.07 (P2 18:53) Erik Karlsson: tip-in, 56 ft, xG 0.05 (P2 19:15) Nick Bjugstad: wrap-around, 6 ft, xG 0.02 (P2 19:29) Evgeni Malkin: wrist, 39 ft, xG 0.05 (P2 19:55) Timo Meier: wrist, 61 ft, xG 0.02 (P3 1:34) Egor Chinakhov: wrist, 57 ft, xG 0.03 (P3 3:30) Johnathan Kovacevic: wrist, 54 ft, xG 0.01 (P3 3:58) Avery Hayes: backhand, 11 ft, xG 0.14 (P3 4:53) Samuel Girard: slap, 57 ft, xG 0.04 (P3 4:57) Kris Letang: wrist, 48 ft, xG 0.01 (P3 5:10) Bryan Rust: wrist, 15 ft, xG 0.02 (P3 5:11) Bryan Rust: wrist, 26 ft, xG 0.03 (P3 5:22) Ryan Shea: snap, 45 ft, xG 0.03 (P3 6:26) Timo Meier: wrist, 19 ft, xG 0.11 (P3 7:41) Timo Meier: wrist, 47 ft, xG 0.04 (P3 7:51) Ben Kindel: wrist, 34 ft, xG 0.08 (P3 8:16) Dougie Hamilton: snap, 60 ft, xG 0.01 (P3 8:32) Anthony Mantha: wrist, 38 ft, xG 0.08 (P3 8:48) Lenni Hameenaho: wrist, 39 ft, xG 0.03 (P3 9:31) Cody Glass: wrist, 8 ft, xG 0.03 (P3 9:32) Lenni Hameenaho: wrist, 43 ft, xG 0.01 (P3 9:39) Brett Pesce: wrist, 48 ft, xG 0.01 (P3 10:36) Justin Brazeau: wrap-around, 8 ft, xG 0.08 (P3 11:24) Kris Letang: wrist, 52 ft, xG 0.03 (P3 11:42) Evgeni Malkin: wrist, 9 ft, xG 0.06 (P3 11:45) Rickard Rakell: wrist, 174 ft, xG 0.00 (P3 11:57) Nico Hischier: snap, 19 ft, xG 0.19 (P3 12:12) Connor Clifton: wrist, 61 ft, xG 0.01 (P3 12:41) Lenni Hameenaho: tip-in, 28 ft, xG 0.05 (P3 14:29) Timo Meier: wrist, 17 ft, xG 0.07 (P3 16:29) Simon Nemec: snap, 59 ft, xG 0.04 (P3 17:19) Dougie Hamilton: wrist, 58 ft, xG 0.03 (P3 17:33) Cody Glass: deflected, 8 ft, xG 0.12 (P3 17:48) Cody Glass: wrist, 8 ft, xG 0.07 (P3 17:49) Brenden Dillon: wrist, 69 ft, xG 0.01 (P3 18:23) Arseny Gritsyuk: wrist, 87 ft, xG 0.00 (P3 19:22) Tommy Novak: GOAL, tip-in, 22 ft, xG 0.08 (P1 18:51) Paul Cotter: GOAL, deflected, 6 ft, xG 0.21 (P2 4:56) Connor Clifton: GOAL, slap, 44 ft, xG 0.03 (P3 6:30) Egor Chinakhov: GOAL, wrist, 13 ft, xG 0.19 (P3 7:20) Blake Lizotte: GOAL, wrist, 59 ft, xG 0.72 (P3 18:01)
About these numbers

xG comes from hockeystats.io's own model, a gradient-boosted tree model trained on every unblocked shot from the 2021-22 to 2025-26 regular seasons using the NHL's public play-by-play. Each shot's value is the share of similar shots that became goals. A team's xG is the sum over its shots; "deserve to win" asks how often the team would outscore its opponent if every shot went in at exactly that rate. Blocked shots count as attempts but have no xG (the NHL records where they were blocked, not where they were taken), so the map leaves them out.

Box score

New Jersey Devils

Skater GAP+/− AttxG HitBlkTOI
Forwards
86 Jack Hughes 011 -1 50.04 0025:42
16 Connor Brown 000 0 20.09 0022:02
63 Jesper Bratt 000 0 40.20 1019:43
13 Nico Hischier 000 0 70.67 1018:00
28 Timo Meier 000 0 90.57 3116:30
91 Dawson Mercer 000 -1 20.04 1015:14
81 Arseny Gritsyuk 000 -2 30.19 0112:58
29 Lenni Hameenaho 000 -2 90.25 0012:50
12 Cody Glass 000 -2 60.70 0111:47
72 Nick Bjugstad 000 0 10.02 3011:06
47 Paul Cotter 101 +1 30.31 2010:05
72 Maxim Tsyplakov 000 0 00.00 1009:33
Defense
7 Dougie Hamilton 011 -1 60.13 4122:10
71 Simon Nemec 000 0 50.20 0020:09
22 Brett Pesce 000 -1 10.01 0119:53
5 Brenden Dillon 000 0 30.03 3117:59
71 Jonas Siegenthaler 000 0 50.12 1317:07
8 Johnathan Kovacevic 000 -1 30.02 6213:13
Goalie SAGA SVSV% xGA GSAx
Jacob Markstrom 36333 .917 3.85 +0.85

Pittsburgh Penguins

Skater GAP+/− AttxG HitBlkTOI
Forwards
71 Evgeni Malkin 022 +1 60.45 0017:38
17 Bryan Rust 000 +1 50.28 0116:47
52 Noel Acciari 000 0 10.00 1116:17
67 Rickard Rakell 000 0 40.43 0116:06
19 Connor Dewar 000 0 60.76 2115:49
46 Blake Lizotte 101 +1 30.83 1114:31
39 Anthony Mantha 011 +1 10.08 0213:54
18 Tommy Novak 101 0 30.24 0113:39
81 Ben Kindel 000 +1 40.13 0013:07
16 Justin Brazeau 000 0 30.20 1213:00
59 Egor Chinakhov 101 +1 60.39 0012:42
85 Avery Hayes 000 -1 40.30 2111:47
Defense
65 Erik Karlsson 000 +1 30.07 0221:41
6 Ryan Shea 011 +1 50.16 0020:19
58 Kris Letang 011 -1 30.04 0219:02
75 Connor Clifton 101 +1 40.18 7118:15
49 Samuel Girard 000 0 10.04 0417:53
29 Parker Wotherspoon 000 +2 00.00 1117:49
Goalie SAGA SVSV% xGA GSAx
Arturs Silovs 30129 .967 3.60 +2.60

Skaters by time on ice. Goalie lines count shots with the goalie in net, from the NHL play-by-play.

Player ratings

What each player added to the result, in goals, from most to least. Hover a number for what it's made of.

New Jersey Devils

Player Rating Points Shots On ice Pen FO Other GSAx TOI
12 Cody Glass C +1.06 0.00 +0.46 +0.53 0.00 +0.05 +0.03 — 11:47
28 Timo Meier R +1.05 0.00 +0.37 +0.59 0.00 +0.02 +0.07 — 16:30
13 Nico Hischier C +0.91 0.00 +0.44 +0.45 0.00 +0.06 -0.04 — 18:00
25 Jacob Markstrom G +0.85 0.00 — — 0.00 — — +0.85 58:34
7 Dougie Hamilton D +0.82 +0.70 +0.09 +0.04 0.00 0.00 -0.01 — 22:10
47 Paul Cotter L +0.50 +0.75 +0.20 -0.45 0.00 0.00 0.00 — 10:05
91 Dawson Mercer C +0.44 0.00 +0.02 +0.41 0.00 0.00 0.00 — 15:14
17 Simon Nemec D +0.27 0.00 +0.13 +0.18 0.00 0.00 -0.04 — 20:09
16 Connor Brown R +0.22 0.00 +0.06 +0.18 0.00 0.00 -0.02 — 22:02
63 Jesper Bratt L +0.19 0.00 +0.13 -0.07 +0.15 0.00 -0.02 — 19:43
22 Brett Pesce D +0.17 0.00 +0.01 -0.02 +0.15 0.00 +0.03 — 19:53
81 Arseny Gritsyuk R +0.15 0.00 +0.12 +0.15 -0.15 0.00 +0.03 — 12:58
71 Jonas Siegenthaler D +0.13 0.00 +0.08 -0.10 0.00 0.00 +0.15 — 17:05
29 Lenni Hameenaho R +0.12 0.00 +0.16 -0.04 0.00 0.00 0.00 — 12:50
86 Jack Hughes C +0.03 +0.55 +0.02 -0.50 0.00 -0.04 0.00 — 25:42
8 Johnathan Kovacevic D -0.26 0.00 +0.01 -0.22 -0.15 0.00 +0.10 — 13:15
5 Brenden Dillon D -0.32 0.00 +0.02 -0.35 0.00 0.00 +0.01 — 17:59
42 Maxim Tsyplakov R -0.39 0.00 0.00 -0.37 0.00 0.00 -0.02 — 9:33
72 Nick Bjugstad C -0.54 0.00 +0.02 -0.56 0.00 +0.02 -0.02 — 11:06

Pittsburgh Penguins

Player Rating Points Shots On ice Pen FO Other GSAx TOI
37 Arturs Silovs G +2.60 0.00 — — 0.00 — — +2.60 59:44
71 Evgeni Malkin C +1.94 +1.25 +0.30 +0.57 -0.15 +0.01 -0.04 — 17:38
59 Egor Chinakhov R +1.85 +0.75 +0.25 +0.87 0.00 0.00 -0.02 — 12:42
46 Blake Lizotte C +1.77 +0.75 +0.54 +0.29 +0.15 -0.03 +0.07 — 14:31
18 Tommy Novak C +1.43 +0.75 +0.16 +0.52 0.00 -0.03 +0.03 — 13:39
5 Ryan Shea D +1.08 +0.70 +0.10 +0.30 0.00 0.00 -0.02 — 20:19
75 Connor Clifton D +0.94 +0.75 +0.12 +0.16 -0.15 0.00 +0.07 — 18:15
58 Kris Letang D +0.73 +0.70 +0.02 +0.09 -0.15 0.00 +0.06 — 19:02
19 Connor Dewar C +0.65 0.00 +0.49 +0.11 0.00 0.00 +0.05 — 15:49
28 Parker Wotherspoon D +0.18 0.00 0.00 -0.06 +0.15 0.00 +0.09 — 17:49
85 Avery Hayes R +0.16 0.00 +0.19 -0.09 0.00 0.00 +0.05 — 11:47
81 Ben Kindel C +0.11 0.00 +0.08 +0.04 0.00 +0.01 -0.02 — 13:07
39 Anthony Mantha R +0.09 +0.55 +0.05 -0.60 0.00 -0.01 +0.10 — 13:54
65 Erik Karlsson D -0.06 0.00 +0.04 -0.22 0.00 0.00 +0.12 — 21:41
17 Bryan Rust R -0.06 0.00 +0.18 -0.25 0.00 0.00 +0.01 — 16:47
16 Justin Brazeau R -0.13 0.00 +0.13 -0.34 0.00 0.00 +0.08 — 13:00
55 Noel Acciari C -0.13 0.00 0.00 -0.16 0.00 -0.02 +0.05 — 16:17
49 Samuel Girard D -0.31 0.00 +0.03 -0.48 0.00 0.00 +0.14 — 17:53
67 Rickard Rakell R -0.36 0.00 +0.28 -0.60 0.00 -0.04 0.00 — 16:06

An expected-goals take on Dom Luszczyszyn's Game Score: goals and assists, the quality of a player's own shots, shot quality for and against while they were on the ice at 5v5, penalties, faceoffs and puck plays, all in goals; goalies by goals saved above expected. From the NHL play-by-play and shift charts.