Penguins netminder Marc-Andre Fleury is tested by forward Brian Gionta (14) in Wednesday's 6-1 victory over the Devils. (Gene J. Puskar/Associated Press)

Evgeni Malkin and Sidney Crosby scored power-play goals and the Pittsburgh Penguins ended one of their best homestands in franchise history, twice scoring two goals in a matter of seconds against Martin Brodeur during a 6-1 rout of the skidding New Jersey Devils on Wednesday night.

Brodeur and the Devils extended a late-season slump (0-5-1) that is jeopardizing their post-season seeding.

Brodeur hadn't given up six goals to the Penguins since a 6-3 loss at Pittsburgh on March 11, 2006.

Brodeur, who will be honoured Friday night for becoming the winningest goaltender in NHL history, hasn't won in six starts since going 9-1 following his return from a torn left biceps.

Pittsburgh scored early and often in this one, a rare rout of their long-time rivals.

Matt Cooke and Bill Guerin scored 36 seconds apart in the first period to make it 2-0, and Crosby and Jordan Staal made the game one-sided by scoring in a 13-second span of the second, making it 5-1.

Brodeur is 33-24 with four ties against Pittsburgh.

The Penguins finished 6-1-1 during the longest homestand in franchise history, improving to 13-1-2 since Feb. 25, when they were in danger of missing the playoffs.

Now they're tied in points with Philadelphia for fourth place in the Eastern Conference, which secures home-ice advantage in the first round.

The Devils were pushing Boston for first place in the conference before their slide, which has dropped them three points behind second-place Washington.

The Devils have been outscored 22-7 during a slump that caused head coach Brent Sutter to tell his players, "the foot is down — enough is enough" during an extended team meeting Tuesday.

Malkin's 34th goal came on a hard wrist shot from the circle late in the first with Devils players in front and back of him.

Crosby's 30th goal was only his second on the power play in 56 games, a deflection of Kris Letang's shot from the circle.

Crosby also had an assist, giving him 99 points for the season.

In the first period, the Devils' Dainius Zubrus charged across the ice to attempt to level defenceman Brooks Orpik after Orpik put his stick out and tripped Zubrus as he skated up ice.

Orpik drew interference and roughing penalties, and Zubrus was called for roughing.

Crosby and New Jersey's Bobby Holik exchanged words as the teams left the ice at the end of the second period, and Pittsburgh's Hal Gill and David Clarkson also got into a verbal exchange.

Sutter drew an unsportsmanlike conduct penalty.

Clarkson and the 38-year-old Guerin traded punches in the third period.