EDMONTON -- Evgeni Malkin scored in his first game back from injury for the Pittsburgh Penguins in a 2-0 win against the Edmonton Oilers at Rexall Place on Wednesday.
Malkin, who missed the past five games with a lower-body injury, scored 24 seconds into the second period for Pittsburgh (29-14-8), which moved back into first place in the Metropolitan Division, one point ahead of the New York Islanders and two ahead of the New York Rangers.
Former Oilers forward David Perron also scored for the Penguins, and goaltender Marc-Andre Fleury made 22 saves for his seventh shutout of the season and 35th of his career.
Goaltender Viktor Fasth made 26 saves for Edmonton (14-29-9), which was playing without forwards Taylor Hall and Benoit Pouliot, each of whom is day-to-day with a leg injury.
After the Penguins outshot the Oilers 10-5 in a scoreless first period, Malkin put Pittsburgh ahead to stay with some help from a miscue by Fasth behind the goal. He was able to poke the puck into the net for his 20th goal of the season while Fasth was scrambling to get back into position.
The Penguins dominated play in the second period, outshooting Edmonton 14-7. Another former Edmonton forward, Mark Arcobello, had an excellent opportunity to extend the lead midway through the period off a scramble in front. However, Fasth was able to slide across his crease and get a pad on a shot heading towards the net.
The only time the Oilers were able to sustain pressure in the Penguins' zone during the period came on a power play with just over five minutes remaining. Jeff Petry hit the crossbar on a shot from the point. Later in the shift, the Oilers defenseman fired a high, rising shot from the blue line that hit Fleury in the mask.
Perron doubled the Penguins' lead with 0.4 seconds left in the period. The former Oiler, making his first trip back to Edmonton since being traded on Jan. 2 for forward Rob Klinkhammer and a first round pick in the 2015 NHL Draft, had a rebound bounce off him and into the net as time was expiring. Defenseman Kris Letang took a shot from the point that was kicked away by Fasth but hit Perron's skate at the side of the net and slid over the goal line. The goal was reviewed and allowed to stand.
The Oilers dictated play in the third period, outshooting Pittsburgh 10-2, but were unable to beat Fleury. Matt Fraser came close with just over a minute to play on a shot from in close that Fleury was able to kick away.
The Oilers are off until they begin a six-game road trip at the Toronto Maple Leafs on Saturday. The Penguins continue their three-game Western Canada road trip at the Calgary Flames on Friday.
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