Penguins defeat Sharks, 5-1

The Penguins (14-8-2) got goals from Phil Kessel (two), Matt Cullen, Evgeni Malkin and David Perron and 33 saves from Marc-Andre Fleury.

Coach Mike Johnston tinkered with his lines heading into the game, reuniting the Kunitz-Sidney Crosby-Pascal Dupuis line to try to spark some offense.

Crosby has improved since his dismal start at the beginning of the season and has netted three goals over the last five games, but he has only scored once against the Sharks in the last nine against them. Los Angeles won its fourth straight home game on a lovely finish by Kopitar, who scored his eighth goal of the season. He wrapped around the back of the goal and snapped a wrister toward the net which first deflected off the skate of defenseman Paul Martin before banking in off the back of goalie Martin Jones to make it 1-0.

Cullen scored next. He followed up his own shot, and banked the rebound in the net off the back of Jones at 4:40 of the second period to give the Penguins a 2-0 lead.

The Penguins scored the only goal of a first period that feature the teams trading quality chance after quality chance in front of each other’s net.

Pittsburgh has not won in San Jose in forever.

Sharks goalie Martin Jones (31) is beaten for a goal by Phil Kessel (not shown) 2½ minutes into the first period.

The Sharks thought they had narrowed the deficit to a single goal 17 seconds later when center Tomas Hertl punched home a loose puck in the slot, but right wing Tommy Wingels was called for interfering with Fleury upon video review at 15:52.

The Sharks wore throwback jerseys, but it was the Pittsburgh Penguins who reverted to the old days to finally win at SAP Center. In their last game, the Sharks were saved by goaltender Martin Jones, whom saved 38 shots, as the game was spent in the San Jose zone. The San Jose captain made a quick pass through the crease to left winger Patrick Marleau, who one-timed his 10th goal past Fleury.

“That’s a critical turning point right there”, DeBoer said.

Perron scored on a power play at 8:42 of the third period, finishing a feed from Chris Kunitz in tight, to mark a seventh consecutive game the Penguins converted on the power play. “We just got rolling, it could have been 3-2 at that point”.

Marleau reached the milestone November 21 in Pittsburgh, picking up an assist on a Brent Burns goal in the first period.

“That was puck luck for sure”.

Wingels, said he didn’t think there was contact: “It’s tough”. “At times you’re going to get good bounces, and at times you’re not”. “I’m very comfortable that we get some of the people we have out back and keep playing this way, that we’re going to be fine”. The Pittsburgh Penguins are averaging 2.2 goals per game and are scoring on 16.5 percent of their power plays. Justin Braun is questionable with an elbow injury. D David Warsofsky made his Penguins debut in place of Adam Clendening.