By SANTOSH VENKATARAMAN
STATS Senior Writer

Pittsburgh (12-3-0) at Los Angeles (9-4-2), 10:30 p.m. EDT

The Pittsburgh Penguins are getting close to matching the NHL
record for road victories to start a season.

Extending their run away from home could be difficult as they
get set to face the league's leading scorer in Los Angeles.

The Penguins look to open 8-0 on the road when they meet Anze
Kopitar and the Kings on Thursday night.

Pittsburgh (12-3-0) began a four-game trip with a 4-3 victory
over Anaheim on Tuesday, pulling within three wins of tying the
league record set in 2006-07 by Buffalo, which opened with 10
consecutive road victories.

Marc-Andre Fleury made 26 saves for the Penguins, who have the
most points in the Eastern Conference and are 2-1-0 playing
without injured superstar Evgeni Malkin.

"The way we've gotten them hasn't been perfect," coach Dan
Bylsma said. "But we battle and block shots, and our goalie
makes a big save. It hasn't been as pretty as some might like,
but we keep working hard."

Pascal Dupuis, Michael Rupp, Kris Letang and Alex Goligoski all
scored for the Penguins, who won in California for just the
second time since January 1999 with two goals in the third
period.

Pittsburgh also continues to play without injured regulars
Sergei Gonchar and Max Talbot.

"We're just trying to do our best, and we're adjusting to new
things," center Sidney Crosby said. "I think that it's difficult
when you lose two guys (Malkin and Gonchar) like we've lost.
We've just got to adjust and find ways to be successful."

Malkin led the league in points last season and Crosby finished
third, but it's Kopitar who is setting the early pace in 2009-10
with 24. Kopitar had a goal and an assist Monday as Los Angeles
scored the final four goals in a 5-3 victory at Phoenix.

Ryan Smyth scored twice and had two assists while defenseman
Drew Doughty recorded the go-ahead goal with 4:51 remaining for
the Kings, who trailed 3-1 entering the final minute of the
second period.

"I thought we had a little lull there in the second," Smyth
said. "We took the lead but we built some character in this
locker room tonight going into the third and I think that was a
big step."

Los Angeles (9-4-2) has lost three straight to Pittsburgh since
winning five in a row in the series Feb. 27, 2002-Oct. 10, 2003.
Crosby had a goal and an assist in a 4-1 victory March 20 in the
lone meeting last season to bring his point total to five in two
games versus Los Angeles.

Fleury is 2-1-0 with a 1.98 goals-against average in three
starts against the Kings. He has a 3.44 GAA in his six road
starts this season.

Kopitar has one assist in three games against the Penguins.