Hurricanes 2, Penguins 1
PITTSBURGH -- Center Jordan Staal and defenseman John-Micheal Liles scored as the Carolina Hurricanes halted a two-game losing streak with a 2-1 victory over the reeling Pittsburgh Penguins on Saturday.
Staal and Liles each scored power-play goals in the first period, and that was enough to hand Pittsburgh - a team struggling to score - its fifth straight loss.
Center Evgeni Malkin scored a power-play goal for Pittsburgh, which is 0-4-0 since coach Mike Sullivan took over for Mike Johnston last weekend.
The Penguins have scored six goals during their losing streak.
Pittsburgh goaltender Matt Murray, 21, made 24 saves in his NHL debut.
Carolina goaltender Cam Ward made 37 saves and improved to 15-7-3 against Pittsburgh.
Staal got his first goal in nine career games against his original club at 4:57 of the first period. Off the rush on a power play, he moved in and chipped the puck in off Murray's right arm from close range for a 1-0 lead.
That gave Staal points in four of his past five games. Defenseman Justin Faulk picked up his 100th career assist.
On the second of three Hurricanes power plays in the first period, Liles blasted a slap shot from the center point through traffic and past Murray's glove for his first goal of the season and a 2-0 lead at 14:56.
Pittsburgh got its first turn on a power play 15 seconds into the second period when center Eric Staal held left winger Chris Kunitz. Malkin converted with his team-leading 15th goal with a shot from the top of the left circle while right winger Patric Hornqvist obstructed Ward's view at 1:59 to pull the Penguins within 2-1.
Pittsburgh was 0 of 19 with a man-advantage in its previous seven games but was facing the league's worst road penalty kill against Carolina.
NOTES: Pittsburgh returned RW Daniel Sprong to his junior club, Charlottesville of the QMJHL. Sprong, 18 and a second-round draft pick in June, had two goals in 18 games but was often out of the lineup and lightly used when he did play. Coach Mike Sullivan said the move was to get Sprong playing time. ... The Penguins recalled LW Scott Wilson, who had been tied for the American Hockey League lead with 15 goals, but he was scratched. So was D Ian Cole, for the first time this season. ... Pittsburgh RW Phil Kessel played in his 700th game. D Ben Lovejoy played in his 300th game, split exactly evenly between the Penguins and Anaheim. ... Penguins G Marc-Andre Fleury (concussion) remains out. Also out because of injuries were D Kris Letang (undisclosed) and RW Beau Bennett (undisclosed). ... Carolina coach Bill Peters said he gave Ward the start for a second night in a row because he faced only 17 shots Friday in a 2-0 loss to Florida. ... Carolina C Riley Nash played in his 200th game. ... Hurricanes injuries are F Nathan Gerbe (ankle) and D James Wisniewski (ACL). Carolina scratched LW Chris Terry and D Michal Jordan.