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Penguins-Kings Preview

Nov 4, 2009 - 5:39 PM By SANTOSH VENKATARAMAN STATS Senior Writer

Pittsburgh (12-3-0) at Los Angeles (9-4-2), 10:30 p.m. EDT

The Pittsburgh Penguins are getting close to matching the NHL record for road victories to start a season.

Extending their run away from home could be difficult as they get set to face the league's leading scorer in Los Angeles.

The Penguins look to open 8-0 on the road when they meet Anze Kopitar and the Kings on Thursday night.

Pittsburgh (12-3-0) began a four-game trip with a 4-3 victory over Anaheim on Tuesday, pulling within three wins of tying the league record set in 2006-07 by Buffalo, which opened with 10 consecutive road victories.

Marc-Andre Fleury made 26 saves for the Penguins, who have the most points in the Eastern Conference and are 2-1-0 playing without injured superstar Evgeni Malkin.

"The way we've gotten them hasn't been perfect," coach Dan Bylsma said. "But we battle and block shots, and our goalie makes a big save. It hasn't been as pretty as some might like, but we keep working hard."

Pascal Dupuis, Michael Rupp, Kris Letang and Alex Goligoski all scored for the Penguins, who won in California for just the second time since January 1999 with two goals in the third period.

Pittsburgh also continues to play without injured regulars Sergei Gonchar and Max Talbot.

"We're just trying to do our best, and we're adjusting to new things," center Sidney Crosby said. "I think that it's difficult when you lose two guys (Malkin and Gonchar) like we've lost. We've just got to adjust and find ways to be successful."

Malkin led the league in points last season and Crosby finished third, but it's Kopitar who is setting the early pace in 2009-10 with 24. Kopitar had a goal and an assist Monday as Los Angeles scored the final four goals in a 5-3 victory at Phoenix.

Ryan Smyth scored twice and had two assists while defenseman Drew Doughty recorded the go-ahead goal with 4:51 remaining for the Kings, who trailed 3-1 entering the final minute of the second period.

"I thought we had a little lull there in the second," Smyth said. "We took the lead but we built some character in this locker room tonight going into the third and I think that was a big step."

Los Angeles (9-4-2) has lost three straight to Pittsburgh since winning five in a row in the series Feb. 27, 2002-Oct. 10, 2003. Crosby had a goal and an assist in a 4-1 victory March 20 in the lone meeting last season to bring his point total to five in two games versus Los Angeles.

Fleury is 2-1-0 with a 1.98 goals-against average in three starts against the Kings. He has a 3.44 GAA in his six road starts this season.

Kopitar has one assist in three games against the Penguins.