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Penguins look to halt four-game skid vs. Thrashers

Dec 9, 2006 - 4:22 PM Pittsburgh (11-11-5) at Atlanta (18-8-4) 7:00 pm EST

ATLANTA (Ticker) -- Even with the presence of young sharpshooters Sidney Crosby and Evgeni Malkin, the Pittsburgh Penguins have found themselves in a rut.

Crosby and Malkin look to help Pittsburgh end a four-game losing streak Saturday when they meet the Atlanta Thrashers for the first time this season.

The 19-year-old Crosby is tied for second in the league in points (37), trailing Atlanta's Marian Hossa and Jaromir Jagr of the New York Rangers, who have 41 apiece.

Malkin has 12 goals and 13 assist and has a one-point lead over Anze Kopitar of the Los Angeles Kings in the rookie scoring race.

Crosby netted his 12th goal of the season and Nils Ekman scored on a first-period penalty shot for the Penguins, who squandered a two-goal lead in Thursday's 3-2 defeat to the Rangers.

Atlanta is anxious to return to the ice to atone for its worst loss of the season, an 8-0 rout against the Tampa Bay Lightning, which concluded a three-game road trip.

Opening a three-game homestand, the Thrashers are 6-1-1 in their last eight games and have a six-point lead over the Carolina Hurricanes in the Southeast Division race.