Penguins 2, Blue Jackets 1: Evgeni Malkin scored in his return from a two-game absence due to a lower-body injury and Marc-Andre Fleury turned aside 32 shots as host Pittsburgh defeated Columbus for the third time this season.

Captain Sidney Crosby also tallied for his NHL-best 43rd point for the Penguins, who learned James Neal had been suspended for five games for delivering a knee to the head of Boston's Brad Marchand in Saturday's contest. The win, however, catapulted Pittsburgh past the idle Bruins and into first place in the Eastern Conference.

Matt Calvert spoiled Fleury's bid for his 27th career shutout and fourth this season by scoring from the doorstep with 56 seconds remaining. The goal came just moments after Fleury narrowly missed on his attempt at an empty net.

Malkin extended his point streak to 10 games by opening the scoring 4:16 into the second period. The former Hart Trophy winner breezed around Columbus defenseman Fedor Tyutin in the right faceoff circle and avoided the poke-check of Curtis McElhinney (28 saves) before wristing the puck into the net to snap the Blue Jackets' shutout string at 162 minutes, 1 second.

Pittsburgh doubled the advantage 8:52 into the third period as Pascal Dupuis' shot from the right circle caromed off the skate of a charging Crosby and into the net.

GAME NOTEBOOK: Pittsburgh placed D Brooks Orpik on injured reserve with a concussion and recalled D Brian Dumoulin from Wilkes-Barre/Scranton of the American Hockey League. Orpik was injured during an altercation with Boston enforcer Shawn Thornton on Saturday. ... Malkin totaled three assists in the Penguins' 4-2 win over the Blue Jackets on Nov. 1 and 3-0 triumph the following day. ... Columbus C Ryan Johansen notched an assist to extend his point streak to five games. ... The Penguins (0-for-2) failed to score on the power play for the first time in seven contests.