Neal’s two goals propel Pens

Associated Press

UNIONDALE, N.Y.

James Neal scored twice, and Pascal Dupuis had the go-ahead goal with 4:02 left in the second period to help the Pittsburgh Penguins beat the New York Islanders 6-3 on Saturday night.

Steve Sullivan, Matt Cooke and Paul Martin added goals for the Penguins, who snapped a two-game losing streak. David Ullstrom, Milan Jurcina and Kyle Okposo scored for New York.

Pittsburgh, playing without Sidney Crosby, has beaten the Islanders all four times the teams have played this season.

There are two games remaining between the Atlantic Division rivals, March 27 at the Consol Energy Center and at Nassau Coliseum two nights later.

Pittsburgh began to take control in the second period after Travis Hamonic elbowed Brooks Orpik in the nose as the New York defenseman skated past his Pittsburgh counterpart. Hamonic was given a major for elbowing and a 10-minute misconduct.

Neal scored the Penguins’ lone goal on the 5-minute man advantage by popping a rebound of Chris Kunitz’s shot past Montoya at 8:44 to tie it at 3. And when Dupuis’s blast from the high slot beat Montoya, Pittsburgh had its first lead of the game.

The teams were tied 2-2 after the first period.

Ullstrom’s second career goal opened the scoring 4:22 into the match. The left winger sped past Alexandre Picard along the right wing boards and whipped a shot over Fleury’s glove.

Jurcina made it 2-0 with a power-play goal at 12:16.