[lysyn]

Ref made a good call, it was Sykora that took the penalty for Elias that pissed me off...

The wrong player was charged with the crime, and the true offender went free and tied the game.

Jordan Staal and the Pittsburgh Penguins played as if they were intent on administering their own justice.

Staal’s second of the game and 100th of his career was part of a three-goal outburst in a 6:07 span of the third period as the Penguins beat the New Jersey Devils 4-1 on Saturday night.

New Jersey’s Petr Sykora was given a double high-sticking penalty 37 seconds into the third, even though television replays clearly showed it was the stick of Patrik Elias that struck Steve Sullivan and drew blood.

Elias scored a short-handed goal 1:10 later to tie the game at 1.

“It was unrespectful to the referee for me, but I was trying to help my team and I didn’t want to have (Elias) go in for four minutes to the penalty box,” Sykora said. “We need him on the (penalty kill). I just got the idea, and it worked out and (Elias) actually got a goal there. After that, (the referee) came up to me, he wasn’t happy and I apologized to him.”

The incident appeared to make Pittsburgh play with anger. The Penguins dominated play the rest of the way, cruising to their third consecutive victory.