efense swarm are Evgeni Malkin, who has three goals and an assist in five career games in Los Angeles, and Chris Kunitz, who scored four times with two a

The Los Angeles Kings and Pittsburgh Penguins were among the newcomers when the NHL doubled to 12 teams in 1967.Fast forward to their 50th anniversary seasons: One is the defending Stanley Cup champion, and is playing like it, while the other is struggling like an expansion team.The Kings will try to end a lengthy scoreless drought Thursday night when they take on the Penguins, who go for their third consecutive road win and fifth in a row overall.Los Angeles (4-6-0) won four straight one-goal games, including three on home ice, from Oct. 20-27. In three games since, the Kings havent posted a victory -- or a goal.After being blanked in weekend contests at St. Louis and Chicago, the Kings fell 4-0 to the rival Anaheim Ducks at Staples Center on Tuesday. Los Angeles last goal came from Jeff Carter deep into overtime of a 3-2 home win over the Nashville Predators on Oct. 27.The club is dealing with a rash of injuries to several key players, including starting goaltender Jonathan Quick (lower body), backup goalie Jeff Zatkoff (groin), defenseman Brayden McNabb (arm) and high-scoring forward Marian Gaborik (foot). Left wingers Andy Andreoff and Teddy Purcell are also day-to-day.Los Angeles also could be without defenseman Tom Gilbert (no goals, three assists in eight games) due to a suspension. Gilbert faces a hearing from the league Thursday for a charging hit on Anaheims Nick Ritchie.Kings coach Darryl Sutter, who is still in search of career win No. 600, said it is up to the players to power their way through the slump.Our game plan, its not going to change, he said. Theres nobody coming in on a white horse to play goal for us or score goals or to come up from Ontario (of the American Hockey League). This is our team. Ive said it early, meaning two or three games ago, and Ill say it again. Our responsibility is not to use the injuries as an excuse.Anze Kopitar doesnt appear to be injured, but he clearly is not producing like a player who has averaged better than 24 goals and 44 assists over the past 10 seasons for Los Angeles. He has four goals and two assists in six career home games versus Pittsburgh.Pittsburgh (7-2-1) extended its winning streaks with a 5-1 victory over the Ducks on Wednesday night in goaltender Matt Murrays season debut.That was probably our most complete, solid game, said Penguins center Matt Cullen, who scored on his 40th birthday. Over the last few games, we werent playing as well as we should be and as well as we can, but we were finding ways to win. Tonight was more of a team game. This is how we need to play.Murray, who stopped 32 shots, won 15 postseason games to help the Penguins secure their third Stanley Cup last spring. He sustained a broken hand Sept. 19 during the World Cup of Hockey.Despite the solid debut, Penguins coach Mike Sullivan said after the Wednesday win that Marc-Andre Fleury would start in net against the Kings. Fleury is 6-2-1 with 3.09 goals-against average this season but just 3-2-0 with a 2.73 GAA, .908 save percentage and a shutout in five career games in Los Angeles.Sidney Crosby registered an assist against the Ducks, giving him four goals and two helpers in a four-game points streak after missing the first six games with a concussion. Now in his 12th season, Crosby has appeared in just five career games at Staples Center, picking up a goal and five assists.Two Penguins whom Sutter may want to have his defense swarm are Evgeni Malkin, who has three goals and an assist in five career games in Los Angeles, and Chris Kunitz, who scored four times with two assists over the same number of games at Staples Center.Malkin scored Wednesday, giving him four goals in a three-game streak, while Kunitz has tallied one assist in each of his past three games. China Jerseys Wholesale . -- When the Florida Panthers fell behind by two goals in the first period to the top team in the NHL, it appeared they were on their way to yet another loss. Cheap Nike NFL Jerseys . Capitals head coach Adam Oates said Ovechkin was injured in the first period against the Vancouver Canucks on Monday and clarified it was not a head injury. http://www.wholesalejerseyscheapauthenticnfl.com/ . Still, Brewers manager Ron Roenicke thought taking him out before the fifth inning was an unusual move. "Im looking up at the board and hes got two hits given up and one run, and Im taking him out after the fourth inning," Roenicke said. Jerseys NFL Wholesale . Fellow centre Pavel Datsyuk remains out because of a concussion. Zetterberg has 11 goals and 19 assists for a team-high 30 points, and Datsyuk has a team-high 12 goals and 11 assists. China Jerseys Cheap . The recently retired Stern was elected Friday to the Naismith Memorial Basketball Hall of Fame and will be enshrined with the class of 2014 on Aug. The first week of September has gone relatively well for both the Cincinnati Reds and Milwaukee Brewers.Now they get a chance to face each other with the Reds attempting to escape last place in the National League Central and the Brewers looking to possibly move closer toward third place in the division.After getting wins over teams ahead of them in the standings, the Reds and Brewers begin a three-game series Monday night at Great American Ball Park.The Reds (60-82) have split their first 10 contests of the month and took three of four at Pittsburgh after getting outscored 27-9 during a five-game losing streak. Cincinnati has been in last place every day since May 13 and is 2 1/2 games behind the Brewers.The Brewers have won seven of their last 10 contests after splitting a weekend series in St. Louis. Thanks to Cincinnatis three wins, Milwaukee is six games behind the Pirates.The Reds completed their successful weekend with an 8-0 victory when Brandon Finnegan pitched five-plus scoreless innings and worked out of two bases-loaded jams. Tyler Holt also drove in three runs and Brandon Phillips had three hits.Joey Votto was 0-for-4 but over his last 12 games is batting .378 (17-for-45). Phillips is hitting .374 (46-for-123) in his last 32 contests.Milwaukee completed its weekend with a 2-1 win at St. Louis on Sunday. Ryan Braun hit a tiebreaking home run in the ninth inning and has 27 this season. He has three home runs this month after reportedly being involved in trade talks when Milwaukee won the waiver claim for Los Angeles Dodgers outfielder Yasiel Puig.As Ive said many times, I really love Milwaukee, Braun told the Milwaukee Journal-Sentinel My family loves Milwaukee. My daughter was born there. My son should be born there in a couple of weeks. We love being involved in the community there. It would be greatt and very rewarding to see this thing through and be a part of the next winning team in Milwaukee.ddddddddddddBraun has hit five of his home runs against the Reds, who have won seven of the first 13 meetings.Anthony DeSclafani was originally scheduled to start the series opener but his next start will be Sept. 18 vs. Pittsburgh. Manager Bryan Price said it wasnt physical and the Reds will start Keyvius Sampson.It gives (Sampson) a chance to get a little bit of a stretch and give a little bit of blow to Anthony, and he slots right back in for his next start. No red flag, but in the sense of being proactive, it makes more sense to do it right now and let him finish the season strong.Sampson made 12 starts for the Reds last season but 14 of his 15 appearances have been in the bullpen. He has a 3.90 ERA this season and in his lone start July 23 against Arizona, Sampson allowed one earned run and four hits in 4 1/3 innings.On Aug. 14 against Milwaukee, he allowed a solo home run to Braun while pitching five relief innings in a 7-3 loss.Its a great opportunity, Sampson told MLB.com. Im happy to get the chance to start a few games. Ill continue to do what Ive been doing, going after guys, attacking the zone and using all of my pitches.Milwaukees starting pitchers have a 2.83 ERA in the last 20 games and Wily Peralta opens the series.Peralta allowed four runs and six hits in 7 2/3 innings in a 12-5 win vs. the Chicago Cubs. He is 2-2 with a 3.35 ERA in his last six starts since returning from nearly two months with Triple-A Colorado Springs.Peralta is 5-4 with a 3.00 ERA in 12 career starts against Cincinnati. He faced the Reds Aug. 14 at home and allowed one run and four hits in six innings. ' ' '