NHL

Penguins’ Crosby loses teeth; Islanders just lose

PITTSBURGH — The Islanders bloodied up Sidney Crosby, but they could not stop the Penguins.

Crosby lost several teeth and needed oral surgery after he was hit in the mouth with a puck during a 2-0 victory over the Islanders yesterday, the Penguins’ 15th straight win.

Coach Dan Bylsma wasn’t sure if the injury affected Crosby’s jaw and didn’t know if he would miss any more time. Bylsma saw enough to become concerned about the health of the team’s biggest star, particularly because of his well-documented history battling concussion problems.

“I just know he had some issues with his teeth,” Bylsma said.

Crosby has enjoyed a resurgence this season, leading the league with 41 assists and 56 points.

A bloodied Crosby, who did not return to the game, skated off the ice with a towel covering his mouth after Brooks Orpik’s slap shot from the point deflected off a stick and hit him just 1:28 into the game.

“When you see the replay, he had no chance to move,” said newly acquired star forward Jarome Iginla, who made his Penguins debut after a blockbuster trade early Thursday morning with the Flames.

Matt Cooke and James Neal scored third-period goals and Tomas Vokoun made 35 saves as Pittsburgh moved within two wins of the NHL record of 17 straight victories set by Mario Lemieux and the 1992-93 Penguins. They finished 15-0-0 in March, the first perfect month in league history.

After Crosby went down, the Islanders took advantage, registering the first eight shots of the game, but came up empty against Vokoun.

Vokoun’s biggest save came in the third period while the game was still scoreless, stopping Islanders speedy forward Michael Grabner on a breakaway.

Cooke scored his sixth about a minute later, picking up the rebound from defenseman Deryk Engelland’s shot at the top of the crease, and firing a spinning shot behind Islanders goaltender Evgeni Nabokov.

Neal scored soon after, firing a wrist shot past Nabokov during a two-on-one. It was his 18th goal.

The loss snapped a three-game Islanders winning streak.