Penguins Top Struggling Rangers

PITTSBURGH — Evgeni Malkin scored three goals for the second time in 11 games, and Ty Conklin stopped 43 shots to remain unbeaten in regulation as the Pittsburgh Penguins beat the Rangers 4–1 last night.

Sidney Crosby had two assists and Sergei Gonchar also scored for the Penguins, who are 9–0–1 in their last 10 and have won six in a row at home. Conklin, who has started the past 10 games, improved to 10–0–1.

Jaromir Jagr scored his 13th goal for New York, which has lost six of seven and four in a row on the road.

Malkin scored just 3:31 in. The Rangers inexplicably didn't cover him after he collected the puck in the right-wing corner and skated untouched toward the net before flipping a wrist shot over the stick side of Henrik Lundqvist.

Crosby assisted on that goal to give him a league-high 42. The two connected again 3 minutes later to make it 2–0. A perfect headman pass from defenseman Rob Scuderi sprung Crosby into the offensive zone, where he split two defensemen and got a shot on net. Malkin was there to tap in the rebound for his 22nd goal.

Pittsburgh made it 3–0 with a goal while on a two-man advantage with 3:12 left in the opening period. Already killing a penalty, New York's Michal Rozsival was assessed an elbowing minor when he blatantly hit Kris Letang in the face after a whistle in front of the net.

It took only 11 seconds for Gonchar to blast a slap shot from the point past Lundqvist.

Malkin had a few chances for the hat trick before scoring into an empty net with 24 seconds remaining. Jagr, a former Penguin, broke up Conklin's bid for his third shutout when he scored while on the power play.