Crosby scores 2; Pens beat Boston

Associated Press

BOSTON

Sidney Crosby had two goals and an assist, James Neal scored the go-ahead goal on a power play, and the Pittsburgh Penguins beat the Boston Bruins 5-3 on Tuesday night.

In Pittsburgh’s first game since a late brawl Sunday against the Philadelphia Flyers, Crosby gave the Penguins a 1-0 lead 7:41 in. He made it 4-2 with 1:11 left in the second period with his club’s second power-play goal in 48 seconds.

The Penguins lead Philadelphia — which lost 5-3 to the New York Rangers on Tuesday — by three points in the race for the No. 4 seed in the Eastern Conference.

The Bruins, who clinched the Northeast Division title on Sunday night, are 7-2-1 in their last 10 games.

Paul Martin and Arron Asham scored Pittsburgh’s other goals. Benoit Pouliot, Milan Lucic and Rich Peverley scored for Boston.

Crosby has five goals and 17 assists in 12 games since returning from concussion-like symptoms that have limited him to 20 games this season.

His first goal came when he flipped the puck over goalie Marty Turco from the left side after taking a pass from Pascal Dupuis with each team having a player in the penalty box.

Martin made it 2-0 at 14:58 of the period. He shot the puck from the left and kept skating in as Turco saved it. As he was being dragged down by Johnny Boychuk, the puck deflected off Martin’s glove and into the net for his second goal of the season. The goal was upheld after a video review.