NHL: Pittsburgh 5, Washington 2

• Tweet

PITTSBURGH, Feb. 7 (UPI) -- A second-period onslaught Thursday that featured a goal and two assists each from Sidney Crosby and Evgeni Malkin lifted Pittsburgh past Washington 5-2.

The Penguins did all their scoring in the middle period to win their fifth straight game. Washington has dropped three in a row and remained stuck on an Eastern Conference-low two victories.

Mike Ribeiro gave Washington a first-period lead, but Pittsburgh scored on the power play three times during its big second stanza.

Malkin tied it 6:59 into the period and Pascal Dupuis put the Penguins in front with 7:11 left on a slap shot.

Pittsburgh then broke things open with two goals in a span of 11 seconds -- James Neal scoring his seventh of the season and Matt Cooke putting a slap shot past relief goaltender Braden Holtby.

Crosby finished the outburst with a power-play goal that came just 22 seconds from the end of the period.

Marc-Andre Fleury made 23 saves for Pittsburgh. Michael Neuvirth opened in goal for the Capitals and gave up two goals on 11 shots. Holtby surrendered three goals on 17 shots.