Pittsburgh, PA (My Sportsbook) - Patrik Elias scored the deciding goal and added an assist, as the New Jersey Devils edged the Pittsburgh Penguins, 3-2, at Mellon Arena.

Zach Parise netted the 50th goal of his career and also had a helper for the Devils, who had dropped three of four coming in. Travis Zajac had the team's other marker, and Kevin Weekes made 23 saves in net.

"He's played well in every game he's been in," New Jersey coach Brent Sutter said. "Every game he's played in he's played well and tonight he played well for us again. That's what we needed."

Sidney Crosby and Evgeni Malkin had a goal each for Pittsburgh, which has lost four in a row and six of seven. Dany Sabourin turned away 18 shots in a losing effort.

"It's easy to look at the way things have gone the last few games and be typical and be negative," Crosby said. "But the fact is we probably played our best game in the last few, and deserved to win that one. But it just didn't happen."

The Penguins dug themselves out of a 2-0 hole to knot the contest and add suspense to the end of the game.

Crosby sliced the Penguins' deficit in half 26 ticks into the middle stanza, swooping in from the left wing to the front of the net before tucking a forehand try through the pads of Weekes.

Malkin tied it midway through the final stanza with a heavy slapshot from the top of the right circle.

Elias, though, countered with a tally of his own with 5:23 remaining to put the Devils back in front. New Jersey broke out on a 3-on-2 following a Pittsburgh turnover, with Brian Gionta flying into the zone along the right wing before sending a cross-ice pass to Elias.

The winger quickly snapped a shot from the left side of the net that found room short-side for a 3-2 Devils lead.

Weekes was able to keep Pittsburgh off the board the rest of the way.

New Jersey opened the scoring 4:40 into the contest, as Zajac received a feed from Parise in the left circle and flicked a wrist shot through the five-hole.

Parise lit the lamp himself less than six minutes later for a 2-0 Devils lead. With New Jersey set up on a power play, Gionta moved from behind the net and sent the disc through the crease. Parise was there to hammer it home for a 2-0 advantage.

Game Notes

Devils netminder Martin Brodeur, who got the night off, remains one win shy of becoming just the second goaltender in league history to reach 500 victories, joining Patrick Roy (551)...Crosby has recorded a point in a career-best 17 straight games, while Malkin extended his point streak to 11 games...Pittsburgh has dropped four straight at home.