latimes
Sidney Crosby netted two goals and climbed into sole possession of sixth place on the NHL's career scoring list, powering the Pittsburgh Penguins to a 5-2 victory over the Los Angeles Kings on Saturday night that halted a four-game skid.
The 39-year-old Crosby surpassed Kings legend Marcel Dionne with his 1,772nd point, which came when Evgeni Malkin's one-timer deflected in off him during the second period. Crosby later added an empty-net goal, diving face-first on the ice to tip it home.
Tommy Novak scored twice in the first six minutes, and Egor Chinakhov also found the net for Pittsburgh (6-9-2), which moved Crosby and the 40-year-old Malkin onto the top line before the game to ignite a struggling lineup. Sergei Murashov made 26 saves as the Penguins opened a three-game California trip with just their third win in 11 games.
Corey Perry and Alex Laferriere scored for Los Angeles (5-8-2), while Darcy Kuemper stopped only 14 shots. The Kings have now lost two of their last three during a seven-game homestand.
Novak put Pittsburgh ahead less than two minutes after the opening faceoff by controlling a rebound in front. Less than three minutes later, he carried the puck into the zone, followed behind Ben Kindel, and cashed in another rebound for his seventh career multi-goal game.
Perry scored midway through the first when Mikey Anderson's high shot off the end boards ricocheted toward the crease, and he slapped it out of mid-air for the second goal of his 22nd NHL season. Chinakhov converted on a power play late in the first to give the Penguins a 3-1 lead, but Laferriere answered with a power-play goal early in the second.
Artemi Panarin appeared to score a tying rebound goal for the Kings late in the second period, but video review determined the Kings' zone entry had been offside, nullifying the goal. Moments later, Erik Karlsson's backhand pass set up Malkin's shot that deflected in off Crosby.
Key Analysis
Crosby's milestone and the Penguins' lineup shuffle paid immediate dividends, ending a four-game slide and injecting life into a team that had won just twice in its previous 10 games. The Kings, meanwhile, continue to struggle on their homestand, managing only 16 shots on goal and seeing a potential tying goal erased by an offside review. The loss drops Los Angeles to 5-8-2 and raises questions about its consistency as the season progresses.
Up next for the Kings: vs. Nashville at Crypto.com Arena on Tuesday.
Originally reported by latimes.