Penguins win behind Crosby, Malkin, 5-3

UNIONDALE, N.Y. (AP) — Sidney Crosby scored a goal and set up two by Evgeni Malkin in a 5:35 span of the third period for the Pittsburgh Penguins, who rallied for a 5-3 win against the New York Islanders on Wednesday night.

Malkin finished with a hat trick — all within the third — when he sealed the win with an empty-netter with 17.5 seconds left.

Just as they did less than three weeks earlier at Nassau Coliseum, the Penguins wiped out New York’s 3-1 lead in the third. At least on Nov. 8 the Islanders earned a point with the 4-3 shootout loss. They had nothing to show for this effort that produced a 3-0 edge midway through the second.

The big comeback made a winner of third-string goalie John Curry, who made his NHL debut in relief in the second period after Dany Sabourin was chased from the net. Curry stopped all 11 shots he faced after Sabourin allowed three goals on 14.

New York seemed poised to win for the sixth time in seven games, but instead got nothing on a night when prized rookie Josh Bailey had his first multi-point game with a pair of assists.

Bailey helped set up goals by Trent Hunter and Bill Guerin, and originally was credited with an assist on Doug Weight’s first-period goal that gave the Islanders a 1-0 lead.

After defenseman Brooks Orpik cut Pittsburgh’s deficit to two in the final seconds of the middle period, the high-flying tandem of Crosby and Malkin took over.

Malkin found Crosby with a pass to the left of goalie Joey MacDonald, as the Penguins captain straddled the goal line, and Crosby slammed in his eighth goal at 6:18.

Crosby then was at his playmaking best. He zipped a pass from the left-wing side to Malkin, who took the pass as he streaked down the middle and snapped in a shot with 8:57 left.

The duo needed 50 more seconds to put Pittsburgh in front.