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Kings and Pens clash in Pittsburgh

Feb 10, 2011 - 4:24 PM (Sports Network) - The Los Angeles Kings will try to post a third straight victory when they continue their lengthy road trip tonight at Pittsburgh's CONSOL Energy Center.

The Kings are 2-0-1 so far on their 10-game swing and are coming off consecutive wins over Edmonton and Calgary. Los Angeles has also gone six straight without a regulation loss, recording a 5-0-1 mark over that span.

Los Angeles is still last in the Pacific with 60 points, but the Kings are just six behind Dallas and San Jose for the division lead. LA is also just three points out of a playoff berth in the West.

The Penguins, meanwhile, will try to avoid a third straight loss. Pittsburgh, which is fourth in the Eastern Conference with 72 points, has lost three in a row on two occasions this season with the last time coming from Jan. 6-10.

The Kings outlasted the Flames for a shootout victory on Saturday. Justin Williams scored in the seventh round of the shootout, lifting Los Angeles to the 4-3 victory and snapping Calgary's winning streak at six games.

Williams had a goal and two assists in regulation and was the only player in the last five rounds of the shootout to score. Rob Scuderi and Dustin Brown also scored in regulation for the Kings. Jonathan Quick had 32 saves for the victory.

"We have to go home, get some practice time in and clean up a bunch of things before we get back on the road," said LA head coach Terry Murray.

The Kings have won three of their last four on the road, but are still just 12-13-1 as the visiting club this season.

The Penguins have dropped two in a row after star forward Evgeni Malkin suffered a season-ending knee injury in Friday's 3-2 win over Buffalo. Of course, Pittsburgh is also still without its other star centerman, Sidney Crosby, who is sidelined indefinitely with a concussion.

Pittsburgh was shut out in Washington, 3-0, on Sunday and then dropped a 4-1 decision Tuesday against visiting Columbus. Steve Mason made 32 stops to help the Blue Jackets earn the road win at CONSOL Energy Center.

Tyler Kennedy scored the lone goal while Marc-Andre Fleury made 21 stops for the Penguins, who had won five straight before suffering the consecutive losses.

"We expected them to come out strong tonight and they did," Fleury said of the Blue Jackets.

In addition to Malkin and Crosby, the Pens will also be without Matt Cooke for the next four games after the controversial forward was suspended by the league for a hit on Columbus defenseman Fedor Tyutin. Cooke checked Tyutin from behind in the early stages of Pittsburgh's loss to the Blue Jackets, earning him a major for charging.

Pittsburgh winger Chris Kunitz is expected to miss his second straight game due to a lower-body injury.

The Penguins had won five straight on home ice before losing Tuesday's tilt. Pittsburgh is still 19-10-1 in the inaugural season at CONSOL Energy Center.

The Kings recorded a 5-2 home win over Pittsburgh in the only meeting between the clubs last season. The Pens had won three straight in the series before that defeat. LA has lost its last two in the Steel City, but tonight will mark the Kings' first trip to Pittsburgh's new arena.