At the time, a goal that put the Penguins up, 4-0, in the first period seemed like it would prove to be pretty meaningless.
It was looking like the start of a blowout.
In the end, every one of the Penguins' seven goals against the Devils at PPG Paints Arena on Tuesday proved to be crucial after New Jersey's six-goal onslaught made it a one-goal game, putting the Penguins on the brink of total collapse.
In hindsight, Jeff Carter's first goal as a Penguin ended up being pretty meaningful for the team's 7-6 win over the Devils.
With just over two minutes remaining in the first period, Kris Letang recovered a puck in the Penguins' zone and passed it up to Carter, who was waiting by the Devils' blue line across the ice. Carter attempted to pass the puck up to Jared McCann, but a Devils defenseman broke up the pass. McCann got to the loose puck first and popped it back between his legs toward the open space in the slot. Carter skated in and put the puck past Scott Wedgewood with a slap shot that hit a New Jersey player and changed direction on the way in for his first as a Penguin:
"It was great for Jeff," Mike Sullivan said. "I thought his line had another good game tonight. For him to score that first goal as a Pittsburgh Penguin, I think means a lot to him. I'm sure he can just relax and play now. Certainly, we were happy for him. It was a real good goal."
The goal got rave reviews from Carter's oldest child, his four-year-old son Caden, who gave the goal two thumbs up in this picture tweeted by Carter's wife Megan:
@Megan_Carter_ / TWITTER
Caden Carter reacts to his dad's first goal as a Penguin.
The second line had the highest rate of shot attempts taken in the game, with 14 shot attempts taken by the Penguins in their 11:04 of five-on-five ice time. The line was on the ice for two goals -- Carter's goal and the opening goal from Mike Matheson -- and the line was on the ice for one goal allowed, the third-period goal from Jack Hughes.
The goal from Carter was his second point in his fourth game as a Penguin after earning an assist on Jason Zucker's goal off of a faceoff play in Buffalo in the previous game. Carter has also recorded one hit, six blocked shots (three of which came in Tuesday's game against the Devil), and a faceoff success rate of 56.86 percent since being acquired from the Kings overnight before the trade deadline.
