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NHL roundup: Pens’ home win streak ends

Pittsburgh Penguins' Sidney Crosby (87), rear left, puts a rebound behind New Jersey Devils goaltender Keith Kinkaid (1) with Sami Vatanen (45) defending during the first period of an NHL hockey game in Pittsburgh, Tuesday, Feb. 27, 2018. (AP Photo/Gene J. Puskar)

PITTSBURGH (AP) — Taylor Hall just wants to contribute to the New Jersey Devils’ playoff run.

The Devils are happy that he’s contributing at a historic pace.

Hall equaled the Devils’ franchise record with points in 15 straight games, Stefan Noesen scored the only goal of the third period and New Jersey beat the Pittsburgh Penguins, 3-2, on Tuesday night.

“The points feel more important and that’s a really good feeling as a player,” Hall said. “We’re in the middle of a playoff run and games are important, so I’m happy that I’m able to do my part.”

Noesen, playing in his 100th NHL game, broke a 2-2 tie with his ninth of the season five minutes into the third. He tipped Andy Greene’s attempt from the side boards behind Penguins goaltender Casey DeSmith.

Hall equaled a career high with his 27th goal and had an assist. Hall, who missed three games with a hand injury, has points in the last 22 games in which he’s played, scoring 15 goals and 32 points during that span. He’s the fifth player in the last 25 years with at least one point in 22 consecutive appearances.

“The first period, I probably touched the puck five or six times and I get an assist in the neutral zone,” Hall said. “That’s the way it’s going. You score points in 22 straight games, there’s got to be some luck involved, and things are going your way, but you want to create those chances.”

Sidney Crosby scored his 21st goal and Matt Hunwick tallied his fourth for the Penguins, whose 11-game home win streak ended.

The Penguins, who have won 11 of 15 overall, lost in Pittsburgh for the first time since Jan. 4. It was their longest home winning streak since a franchise-record 13-game run during the 2013-14 season.

“I don’t think you can exhale and take it easy,” Crosby said. “You have to find a way to keep that hunger. It’s going to be a fight until the end and we have to have a consistent effort.”

Wild 8, Blues 3

ST. PAUL, Minn. (AP) — Eric Staal had three goals and two assists to combine with linemates Mikael Granlund and Jason Zucker for 14 points and propel Minnesota to a victory over St. Louis, who lost their seventh straight.

Staal notched his 14th career hat trick, his first in more than five years. By scoring 13 times in 13 games in February, Staal raised his season total to 33 goals to move into the top five in the NHL.

Granlund had two goals and two assists and Zucker added a goal and four assists for the Wild, who have won five in a row overall and are 19-2-5 in their last 26 home games.

Bruins 4,

Hurricanes 3 (OT)

BOSTON (AP) — Charlie McAvoy scored 1:08 into overtime and Rick Nash had a goal in his home debut for Boston as the Bruins rallied past Carolina.

Tommy Wingels, Riley Nash and McAvoy each had a goal and an assist for Boston, which avoided losing three straight for the first time this season after falling behind 3-1 late in the first period.

Brock McGinn, Teuvo Teravainen and Sebastian Aho scored for Carolina, and Justin Faulk had two assists.

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