Penguins 1 - Islanders 3: First Crosby, Now Malkin

The storm clouds are rolling in and it's starting to rain misery on the Pittsburgh Penguins these days.

Sidney Crosby missed his second straight game (and third of his NHL career) while Evgeni Malkin left the game late in the 3rd period with an apparent injury. Of course, the Penguins lost 3-1 to the Islanders and went 0-9 on the Power Play without Crosby.

Game Recap:

The stars shone brightly for the New York Islanders in front of their biggest crowd this season.

Miroslav Satan had a goal and assist, and Rick DiPietro stopped 35 shots in the New York Islanders' 3-1 victory over the Pittsburgh Penguins on Friday before 15,625 at Nassau Coliseum.

"It helps to have a full house," DiPietro said. "It's a big time of year for us, and you have to put forth a full effort in front of a full house."

Alexei Yashin and Sean Hill also scored goals for New York, 5-1-1 in its last seven games.

Evgeni Malkin spoiled DiPietro's shutout bid in the third period with his 11th goal for the Penguins, and Jocelyn Thibault turned aside 26 shots. Pittsburgh, which lost for the second time in seven contests (4-2-1), was without second-year star Sidney Crosby for the second straight game.

The 19-year-old center took part in the pregame warmup, but was forced out of the lineup by a sore groin.

DiPietro kept the Penguins off the board until late and was helped when the Islanders killed a 51-second, two-man disadvantage halfway through the opening period. Shortly after a faceoff, Richard Park -- the only forward on the ice for New York -- broke his stick. Park then blocked two shots while the Islanders were short-handed.

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Malkin, the Penguins' latest star rookie, appeared to be injured late in the game following a shoulder-to-shoulder hit by Islanders defenseman Brendan Witt. Witt's check at the Islanders blue line knocked Malkin's helmet off, and the center skated directly off the ice toward the dressing room.

A Penguins spokesman said Malkin "had his bell rung," but didn't hurt his shoulder injury.

"I don't think he saw me coming," Witt said. "I got him with my shoulder, and I think I hit him in the chest."

Even with the win, the crowd must have disappointed not to see The Kid. With most games drawing flies, the Isles actually had over 15,000 fans for this game, obviously hoping to see Crosby. Such is the power of El Sid.