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Scouting Report

• Matchup: Penguins at Colorado Avalanche, 9:08 p.m. today, Pepsi Center, Denver.
• TV, radio: FSN Pittsburgh, WXDX-FM (105.9).
• Probable goaltenders: Dany Sabourin for Penguins. Peter Budaj for Avalanche.
• Penguins: Are 2-0 against Western Conference teams. ... Through yesterday, had third-best power play, 24.6 percent. ... Gary Roberts has 32 points (18 goals, 14 assists) in 29 career games vs. Colorado.
• Avalanche: Has set Colorado record with 5-0 start in home games and with win would match franchise record set by Quebec Nordiques in 1994-95. ... Holds a 24-11 scoring edge at home. ... Has not played an Eastern Conference team this season.
• Hidden stat: With a goal or assist, Penguins C Sidney Crosby will have a career-best 11-game point streak.

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DENVER -- It used to be that Penguins coach Michel Therrien would put Sidney Crosby and Evgeni Malkin together on a line for a shift or two or maybe for a game or two when he was looking to give the team a spark.

The combination could be gaining some permanence.

The team's top two offensive players -- for that matter, two of the top whiz kids in the NHL -- have been linemates since a practice Oct. 24. In three games since, Crosby has three goals and four assists, Malkin two goals and six assists for 15 points between them.

"I really like that combination," Therrien said yesterday after the team practiced at the Big Bear ice rink.

"When they're on their game, they're really tough to contain."

Crosby, at center, and Malkin played with right winger Mark Recchi last week. Ryan Malone now occupies the right side.

Therrien, who shifts his line combinations almost with regularity, could change his mind about Crosby and Malkin at any moment, perhaps during the game tonight against the Colorado Avalanche. He doesn't sound as if he's leaning that way.

"I think the more they play together, the more they get a feel for each other," he said. "It's a new position for [Malkin] to play on the wing, but we think it's a good combination."

Malkin was strictly a center in Russia before spending a bit of time as a rookie at left wing with Crosby. They also are on the top power-play unit. He said through defenseman Sergei Gonchar, a fellow Russian, that it never occurred to him to hope to play with Crosby because both are centers.

"We played together some last year, and we played together this year, and we've practiced together, so we have chemistry going where we understand each other, what to expect from each other," he said.

With Malkin's playmaking skills, Therrien could see him staying on the wing.

"Last year, we thought that [Malkin] and Sid should be on different lines," he said. "After one year getting to know Malkin, we figured that it's good for him to be a winger, especially with our team. He's able to create a lot offensively."

Crosby's four-point night Tuesday in a 4-2 win at Minnesota boosted him into a tie for fifth in the NHL with 17 points through yesterday's games. Malkin's two goals and one assist gave him 16 points on the season and 101 in his 89-game career. The only active players who reached 100 points faster are Washington's Alex Ovechkin (77 games) and Crosby (80).

"We both like to pass the puck. That's one good thing. I don't think either one of us is more of a shooter than a passer," said Crosby, who won the NHL scoring title last season with 120 points while Malkin was honored as the top rookie, with 85 points.

One of the chief arguments against having a team's top two forwards on the ice together is that does not spread the wealth. Therrien is convinced the Penguins have the horses to handle that, especially when some players who are having slow starts -- Mark Recchi, Jordan Staal, Erik Christensen and Gary Roberts have just one goal each -- begin to score in a more typical fashion.

"You know that eventually we're going to be able to produce more with our depth," Therrien said.

Therrien pays as much attention to defensive responsibility as offensive firepower when he draws up line combinations. Crosby and Malkin play both ends, and Malone adds size and muscle.

Still, it's the skill, vision and potential for more big nights that make things interesting when Crosby and Malkin share shifts.

"One good thing about us playing together is if they're paying attention to him, I can maybe get away from coverage a little bit, and the other way around," Crosby said.

Even when things are not going all that smoothly, good things happen when they play together.

Consider the game Tuesday. Malkin's first goal came when he was left uncovered behind the net as Crosby rushed the crease. Crosby lost control of the puck, and it trickled to Malkin, who scored on a wraparound move.

His second goal came on a Malone shot that bounced off Crosby's stick near the crease and out to Malkin, who went airborne in the right circle to knock it home.

Crosby had a breakaway goal from a Gonchar pass, but it could be traced to Malkin's blocking a shot.

"When we're put together, there's probably a little bit extra responsibility offensively where we have to create things," Crosby said. "Maybe it's not going to go in every night, but [we need to] at least create some opportunities with our play."