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Surging Penguins set for Canucks

Nov 22, 2008 - 11:28 AM Vancouver (12-6-2) at Pittsburgh (12-4-3) 2:00 p.m. EST

PITTSBURGH (Ticker) -- The Pittsburgh Penguins made it all the way to the Stanley Cup Finals last season. They're playing like they plan on going back.

The Penguins will be looking for their eighth win in nine games when they face the Vancouver Canucks on Saturday.

They have 27 points - tying the second-best start in the 42-year history of the franchise.

The only better start through 19 games was turned in by the 1994-95 Penguins, who went 14-3-2 for 30 points. The 1992-93 team also amassed 27 points.

Pittsburgh bounced back from its lone defeat this month, a loss to the Minnesota Wild, with a 3-2 win at Atlanta on Thursday. Sidney Crosby netted a goal and two assists and Miroslav Satan scored his ninth goal in the victory.

However, the Penguins have managed a total of four goals in their last two games after averaging 5.3 during their six-game winning streak to begin the month.

Evgeni Malkin, who leads the team with 31 points, had his streak of 13 games with at least one point snapped in Tuesday's 2-1 overtime loss to Minnesota but recorded an assist in Thursday's triumph.

The Canucks are 6-0-2 over their past eight, including a 3-2 win at Minnesota on Thursday. Henrik Sedin had two assists and Daniel Sedin tallied in the win.

The Sedin brothers rank No. 1 and No. 2 on the team in scoring, with Henrik leading the way at 18 points. Daniel has 16 points.