UNIONDALE, N.Y. -- It was a familiar scenario.

For the second consecutive game, the Penguins were playing without leading scorer Sidney Crosby, were trailing by two goals in the third period and had Russian rookie Evgeni Malkin running on all cylinders trying to lead a comeback.

	Matchup: Penguins vs. New York Rangers, 7:38 p.m. today, Mellon Arena. TV, radio: WPCW, WXDX-FM (105.9). Probable goaltenders: Marc-Andre Fleury for Penguins. Henrik Lundqvist for Rangers. Penguins: Beat Rangers, 3-1, last Saturday night. ... Are playing sixth game in past nine nights. ... Are 8-2-0 vs. Atlantic Division. Rangers: Coming off 4-0 win against Carolina Tuesday, their second win in row since loss at Pittsburgh. ... LW Brendan Shanahan has eight-game point streak (5 goals, 5 assists) and has a point in 20 of team's 22 games. ... Are 7-5-0 on road. Hidden stat: Lundqvist got his third NHL shutout Tuesday, but his first against a team other than Florida. Related article Penguins Notebook: Groin injury benches Crosby again

Things took a different path yesterday, though, as the New York Islanders knocked Malkin out of the game and came away with a 3-1 win in front of 15,625 at Nassau Coliseum.

Malkin had played perhaps his best game Wednesday, helping the Penguins come back against Boston before losing, 4-3, in a shootout despite Crosby's absence.

Malkin was doing his part against the Islanders, playing strong in both ends and leading the game with eight shots. He scored from the left circle at 12:46 of the third period to spoil goaltender Rick DiPietro's shot at an eighth career shutout and pull the Penguins within 3-1.

About 2^1/2 minutes later, Malkin was entering the Islanders' end when New York defenseman Brendan Witt -- an inch shorter but nearly 30 pounds heavier than Malkin -- leveled the Penguins' center at the blue line with a shoulder-on-shoulder hit.

Malkin remained on all fours briefly, then skated directly to the Penguins' runway and did not return. Although he got hit on the same left shoulder that was dislocated during the preseason, causing him to miss the first four games of the regular season, coach Michel Therrien said there was no injury and Malkin is expected to play tonight against the New York Rangers.

"It was a good, fair hit and he caught his head down at the blue line," Therrien said. "He hit him pretty solid. It's not the left shoulder at all."

In his first interview in English, one lasting all of three seconds, Malkin was asked if he was OK and responded, "Yeah."

"He didn't see me coming," Witt said. "I put my shoulder into it, and that was it."

Without Malkin and Crosby for the final minutes, the Penguins could not close the gap, despite getting two power plays, including a brief five-on-three advantage.

The Penguins were 0 for 9 on power plays that totaled 15:08.

"When we have [Crosby] and Malkin in the lineup, it's tough to key on just one of them on the power play," Penguins defenseman Brooks Orpik said. "They feed off each other and create space for each other.

"It's a good opportunity for other guys to step up, but, still, hopefully, both guys are all right to go [today]. You need those guys. They're the game-breakers."

It was clear who filled that role for the Islanders.

"It's pretty simple: DiPietro was on top of his game," Therrien said. "We got some quality chances, but we couldn't score.

Penguins goaltender Jocelyn Thibault, who is 11-4-3 lifetime against the Islanders, stopped 26 shots in his fourth start of the season but fell to 0-3-1.

"The most frustrating thing is, [Thibault] has played well every time he's played -- actually better than just well -- and he hasn't gotten a win yet," Orpik said. "That falls on us, not him."

Captain Alexei Yashin gave the Islanders a 1-0 lead at 2:12 of the second period during four-on-four play that resulted from an odd series of events.

When DiPietro went behind his net to play the puck, Malkin challenged him for possession, with DiPietro getting knocked off of his skates and losing his helmet. It was DiPietro, though, who was called for slashing.

Thirty-seven seconds later, Malkin was sent to the penalty box for holding Trent Hunter. During the ensuing four-on-four, Yashin, cruising toward the left goalpost, took a pass from behind the net from Miroslav Satan and wristed it into the near side of the net. It was Satan's 300th NHL assist.

The Penguins nearly got their first goal -- and winger Colby Armstrong his first of the season -- at 6:57 of the second period.

As the Penguins took the play to the Islanders' net, Mark Recchi lost his helmet and a pile of bodies accumulated in the crease. There was no whistle, and the puck got lofted over DiPietro.

Armstrong, who was just north of the crease, raised his arms, but the goal was waved off after a review and ruling that the puck had been directed into the net with a hand, apparently the right one belonging to Malkin, who was part of the pile of players on the ice.

Armstrong came close again at 14:22 of the second when he had a clear shot at DiPetro, but the goaltender made a sharp glove save of Armstrong's slap shot from the top of the right circle.

New York made it 2-0 on Satan's deflection during a four-on-four at 4:35 of the third, and increased it to 3-0 when Sean Hill, at the top of the slot, one-timed a pass from Jason Blake under Thibault's glove at 8:28 of the third.