Malkin, Penguins overpower Kings

PITTSBURGH -- If Evgeni Malkin keeps playing this way, Sidney Crosby may have an unexpected challenge when he returns to the Pittsburgh Penguins lineup: keeping his job.

Malkin scored two goals and set up another Saturday and the Pittsburgh Penguins won successive games for the first time since Crosby’s injury and beat the Kings, 4-2.

Malkin’s fourth consecutive multipoint game gave him 69 points, four behind NHL leader Alex Ovechkin of Washington -- his former Russian Olympic teammate and the only player drafted ahead of him in 2005.

Since moving to center on the Penguins’ top line after team captain Crosby injured his right ankle while running into the boards Jan. 18, Malkin has seven goals and 10 assists in nine games, and Pittsburgh is 5-2-2 during that span.

The Kings hadn’t lost in Pittsburgh since a 4-1 defeat on March 29, 1997, going 5-0 with two ties since then, and were coming off a 5-3 comeback victory Thursday night in Detroit.

“After a great win against Detroit, then we have an afternoon game,” Derek Armstrong said. “I can’t speak for everyone, but I have to come out with a little more. It took me a while to get going and that’s kind of unfortunate.”

TONIGHT

at Columbus, 3 PST, FSN West

Site -- Nationwide Arena.

Radio -- 1150.

Records -- Kings 23-31-3, Blue Jackets 26-23-8.

Record vs. Penguins -- 0-3-0.

Update -- Kings rookie center-defenseman Brian Boyle scored the team’s second goal in the loss at Pittsburgh, giving him three goals and an assist in his first four NHL games. The Blue Jackets lost at San Jose, 2-1, in overtime Friday night and are winless in five of their last six games.

-- Dan Arritt