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 For the Kings, it was their second defeat in a row.
"Tonight I thought we chased the game, penalties were a small part
of that, but we just chased the game too much," said Kings center
Jarret Stoll.
Right winger Chris Kunitz figured in on all three Pittsburgh goals,
scoring two and assisting on the other.
The Kings (6-2-2) had played 98 games, including 50 in Pittsburgh,
without being shut out by the Penguins (6-2-1). Pittsburgh's last
blanking of the Kings was in a 0-0 tie at the Civic Arena on Nov.
23, 1974. The win also improved the Penguins' league-best record
against Western Conference foes to 33 wins in 50 tries since the
start of the 2011-12 season.
Pittsburgh goaltender Marc-Andre Fleury made 36 saves to earn the
win and 30th shutout of his career on what was the 11-year
anniversary of his first-career shutout.
"Tonight he had action, he had tough shots, he had big bodies in his
way ... and he was rock solid," said Penguins coach Mike Johnston.
 The Penguins got plenty of opportunities, six overall, to put the
league's best power-play unit to work and they made the Kings pay
early. Pittsburgh was given 39 seconds of a five-on-three power play
mid-way through the first and took full advantage. Center Evgeni
Malkin faked a slap shot from the high slot and executed a slap-pass
to the stick of Kunitz, stationed at the left post. Kunitz quickly
redirected the puck into the net to record the power-play tally.
"We do a lot of different shots and things in practice, going to the
net with your stick down and everybody's got a chance," said Kunitz.
"(Malkin's) got a great shot too, but he made a great pass and I got
a little redirect."
With the primary assist on the goal, Malkin picked up his 400th
career helper and extended his points-streak to nine straight games,
having recorded at least a point in all of Pittsburgh's games so far
this season.
The Penguins' power play struck again at 15:14 of the first. This
time it was Kunitz setting up the goal by feeding a cross-ice pass
from below the goal line to defenseman Kris Letang cutting toward
the net.
Letang attempted a pass of his own, but it deflected off of Kings
left winger Dwight King and into the net to put the Penguins ahead
2-0. It was Letang's first goal of the season and just the third
goal from a Penguins' defenseman overall.
"We took too many penalties and they have the best power play in the
league, so that's probably the story of the game, but we were too
slow so we had to take penalties," said Kings right winger Dustin
Brown.
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The goal also marked the seventh time in nine games this season that
Pittsburgh scored multiple power-play goals while its power play has
tallied 15 goals in just nine games overall. Additionally, the
Penguins' two first-period goals extended their league-leading mark
to 15 goals scored in the opening frame of games this season.
The Penguins' penalty kill unit also played a key role in the game,
killing off all four Los Angeles penalties. The Penguins' penalty
kill has now killed off 22-conesecutive power plays.
The Penguins iced the game at 10:36 of the third when Kunitz
recorded his second of the game by wristing the puck over the
shoulder of Jones from nearly impossible angle along the goal line.
"That's how you've got to play when push comes to shove," said
Penguins defenseman Rob Scuderi.
Jones made 20 saves in defeat.
NOTES: The Penguins celebrated their annual "Hockey Fights Cancer"
night by donning purple jerseys during warm-ups. ... Los Angeles has
lost 24 man-games to injury this season. ... The Penguins recalled C
Jayson Megna from Wilkes-Barre/Scranton of the AHL. ... Kings G
Jonathan Quick (2012, 2014) is one of three U.S.-born goaltenders to
win the Stanley Cup twice as a team's primary starting goaltender.
The others are the Penguins' Tom Barrasso (1991, 1992) and the
Boston Bruins' Frank Brimsek (1939, 1941). ... Scratches for the
Penguins were D Robert Bortuzzo (lower body) and C Jayson Megna. ...
Scratches for the Kings were D Slava Voynov (suspended), C Anze
Kopitar (upper body) and RW Marian Gaborik (upper body). ... The
Penguins will next be in action on Saturday when they host Buffalo.
The Kings travel to Detroit for their second game in as many nights
on Friday.
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