Penguins get 2 goals from defenseman Martin Skoula in 3-2 win over Thrashers

Skoula scores 2 goals in Pens’ win over Thrashers

ATLANTA — Defenseman Martin Skoula scored two goals, and the Pittsburgh Penguins held off the Atlanta Thrashers in a 3-2 victory on Saturday night.

Atlanta scored both goals in the third period, the last by Maxim Afinogenov with 18 seconds left.

It was only the third victory in eight games for the defending Stanley Cup champion Penguins (15-8), who have been plagued by injuries after opening the season by winning 12 of their first 15. The Thrashers (10-7-2) fell to 4-5-1 at home.

Evgeni Malkin netted Pittsburgh’s other goal.

Skoula, who had scored only previous goal this season, gave Pittsburgh a 1-0 lead at 7:38 of the first period. He beat goalie Johan Hedberg with a long shot from mid-ice on the power play.

Skoula made it 2-0 at 7:34 of the second, again on another long blast, easily beating the sprawling Hedberg.

Malkin added his seventh goal four minutes later for a 3-0 Penguins lead.

Pittsburgh’s Maxime Talbot was awarded a penalty shot with 2:26 left in the second period, but missed the net on his attempt.

Atlanta scored its first goal 9:40 into the third period on a short-handed goal by Chris Thorburn. He beat goalie Marc-Andre Fleury for his second goal of the season.

Pittsburgh outshot Atlanta 34-33.

The Penguins, 8-4 on the road, had lost four straight away from home after a 7-0 start on enemy ice. Sidney Crosby, Pittsburgh’s captain and leading scorer with 10 goals and 12 assists, assisted on Skoula’s first goal.

NOTES: Pittsburgh D Brooks Orpik returned after missing four games due to a lower body injury. … The Penguins were 4-0 against the Thrashers last season and are 27-8-2 overall, including 13-4-2 in Atlanta. … Afinogenov has six goals and three assists in his last five games.