Penguins 3, Kings 0
Some news and nuggets, notes and quotes from the Penguins’3-0 victory against Los Angeles Thursday night at Consol Energy Center:
*** Marc-Andre Fleury stopped 36 shots to become the first Penguins goalie since Gary Inness on Nov. 23, 1974 to shut out the Kings. Los Angeles had gotten at least one goal in 98 consecutive games between those shutouts.
*** The Penguins scored on two of six power plays, but have been so effective with the man-advantage this season that their conversion rate actually dropped to 39.5 percent. They have gotten two or more man-advantage goals in six of the first nine games. “That’s a great stat,” left winger Chris Kunitz said. “Hopefully, it goes like that all year.”
*** Kunitz gave the Penguins a 1-0 lead when he steered an Evgeni Malkin feed past Kings goalie Martin Jones at 9:16 of the opening period, and Kris Letang got another man-advantage goal at 15:14, as his shot glanced off the skate of penalty-killer Dwight King and into the net.
*** Kunitz picked up the Penguins’ only even-strength goal when he beat Jones with a sharp-angle rebound after linemate Sidney Crosby had taken the puck hard to the net in the third period.
*** The Kings’ 36 shots were the most the Penguins have allowed this season.
*** Malkin’s assist on Kunitz’s first goal was his 400th in the NHL and gave him at least one point in each of the Penguins’ first nine games. “You can just see [Malkin’s play] getting better and better,” coach Mike Johnston said. “His game, over the course of the next couple of weeks, will be where he would have wanted it to be if he had a preseason.”
*** The Penguins have led at the second intermission in eight of their nine games.
*** The Kings, who have won two of the past three Stanley Cups, played without C Anze Kopitar and RW Marian Gaborik, two key contributors. “We faced a good team,” Fleury said. “Even though they’re missing a few [players], it was a good challenge.”
*** Fleury’s shutout was his second in three games and his 30th in the NHL. If this isn’t the best he’s played in his career, it’s awfully close. “When your goalie is feeling it, it radiates throughout the team and gives everybody confidence,” defenseman Rob Scuderi said.
*** Kings defenseman Alec Martinez, on the Penguins’ work with the extra man: “I think they’ve got the best power play in the league. You can’t take penalties against these guys.”
*** The Penguins are 7-2 in their past nine games against Los Angeles, 4-1 in the past five.
*** Malkin nearly got into a fight with Kings forward Justin Williams in the third period, although both ended up being assessed just roughing minors. “I like playing Los Angeles, an unbelievable team. Plays tough every shift. It’s all emotion. I don’t like fights, but it’s sometimes lots of emotion. A couple times he asked me, ‘Let’s go.’ ”
*** The Penguins have not give up a power-play goal in the past six games, going 22-for-22 during that span.
*** Los Angeles right winger Dustin Brown didn’t seem to be particularly impressed by Fleury’s performance: “He made the save he was supposed to make. I don’t think he had very many hard saves. He got to see the puck. Our best chances were probably late in the game on the power play. We had some guys around the net on rebounds. But we didn’t make it hard enough on him.”
*** The Penguins have made their Friday practice optional. They will play Buffalo Saturday night at Consol Energy Center before embarking on a five-game road trip.