Sidney Crosby scored two goals while moving into sole possession of sixth place on the NHL's career scoring list, and the Pittsburgh Penguins snapped their four-game skid with a 5-2 victory over the Los Angeles Kings on Saturday night.
The 39-year-old Crosby broke his tie with Kings great Marcel Dionne by scoring his 1,772nd point when Evgeni Malkin's one-timer deflected in off him in the second period. Crosby added a late empty-net goal, diving face-first on the ice to tip it home.
Tommy Novak got two goals in the first six minutes and Egor Chinakhov also scored for the Penguins, who moved Crosby and the 40-year-old Malkin onto their top line before the game in an effort to spark their struggling lineup. Sergei Murashov made 26 saves as Pittsburgh opened a three-game California trip with just its third win in 11 games.
Corey Perry and Alex Laferriere scored and Darcy Kuemper stopped only 14 shots for the Kings, who have lost two of the last three during their seven-game homestand.
Novak put the Pens ahead less than two minutes after the opening faceoff after controlling a rebound in front. Less than 3 1/2 minutes later, he carried the puck into the zone and followed behind Ben Kindel to cash 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 down toward the crease, where he slapped it out of mid-air for the second goal of his 22nd NHL season.
Chinakhov scored on a power play late in the first to put the Penguins up 3-1, but Laferriere scored on a power play early in the second.
Artemi Panarin appeared to score a tying rebound goal for Los Angeles late in the second period, but it was disallowed after video review determined the Kings' zone entry had been barely offside. Moments later, Erik Karlsson's backhand pass set up Malkin's shot off Crosby.
Penguins: At Anaheim on Sunday.
Kings: Host Nashville on Tuesday.
