PITTSBURGH – Marc-Andre Fleury made 29 saves for his second shutout of the season, Craig Adams scored in the third period and the Pittsburgh Penguins won again without their superstar duo of Sidney Crosby and Evgeni Malkin, 1-0 over the New York Islanders on Tuesday night.
Fleury's 18th career shutout was the second this season in which Pittsburgh scored only once. The Penguins have won two consecutive and five of six — all without Crosby (concussion), and the most recent three without fellow former scoring champion Malkin (knee, sinus infection).
Adams' third goal of the season came at the end of a sequence that began with a shot from the point by Ben Lovejoy. Arron Asham got the rebound from the left circle, and Islanders goalie Kevin Poulin made a save.
The rebound bounced off the stick of Dustin Jeffrey to Adams, who was open in the slot.
Adams' shot beat Poulin low to the stick side on the left side of the net.
The Islanders fell to 1-3 in a stretch of five games in seven days that concludes at home against Carolina on Wednesday.
Pittsburgh was held to two goals or fewer for the fifth time in nine games without Crosby, but they are 5-3-1 without him overall and are 2-1 without both him and Malkin.
The Penguins have been winning more with defense. Pittsburgh has allowed two goals or fewer in each of its past six games.
Among Fleury's best saves were when he stretched to stop Frans Nielsen with his pad with 2 minutes left in the first. Then, with about five minutes left in the second, Fleury stopped Blake Comeau's redirection. He also withstood a late flurry by New York in the final minute and an extra attacker on.
Fleury's other shutout this season was Nov. 24 at Buffalo, part of a personal 11-game winning streak.
Poulin made 30 saves, keeping the Islanders — who have lost four of five — in the game.
Poulin likely would have been in the minors by now had Evgeni Nabokov reported to the team after he was claimed off waivers from the Detroit Red Wings. On Tuesday, the Islanders suspended the 35-year-old goaltender, who had signed a one-year contract with Detroit on Thursday.
The Penguins have won 10 consecutive home games against New York, not losing since Dec. 21, 2007.
Notes: Pittsburgh is 25-8-6 against the Atlantic Division-rival Islanders since the 2004-05 lockout, 16-2-2 home. ... The Islanders are the team that broke Crosby's 25-game point streak in the team's most recent meeting Dec. 29. Crosby played in the Winter Classic against Washington on New Year's Day and against Tampa Bay on Jan. 5, but sustained hits to the head in both games that led to his concussion. ... New York has allowed the first goal in 10 of 11 games.
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