PITTSBURGH — The Carolina Hurricanes talked and talked before the Eastern Conference playoffs began about the importance of slowing down Sidney Crosby. Maybe they forget about the Pittsburgh Penguins' other star, Evgeni Malkin.

Malkin put Pittsburgh ahead for good by scoring twice in the third period of his first three-goal playoff performance, and the Penguins beat the Hurricanes, 7-4, last night to open a 2-0 lead in the conference finals.

The Hurricanes will host Game 3 tomorrow night.

Crosby scored a record-tying sixth goal to start a playoff game, yet was upstaged by NHL regular-season scoring leader Malkin, who took over the playoff scoring lead 25-24 over Crosby. Malkin has four of Pittsburgh's 10 goals in the series.

"It was a great game for me," Malkin said.

Malkin, seemingly motivated by Carolina's attempts to be more physical with him than usual during the second period, scored to make it 5-4 with 8:50 gone in the third period.

Malkin made it 6-4 less than four minutes later when he picked up the puck in the corner, carried it behind the net and used a spin move to put a backhander past goalie Cam Ward.

"It was a great shot," Carolina defenseman Dennis Seidenberg said. "I don't know who saves that."

CAROLINA 3 0 1 — 4

PITTSBURGH 2 2 3 — 7

First Period—1, Pittsburgh, Crosby 13 (Kunitz, Guerin), 1:51. 2, Carolina, LaRose 4 (Whitney, E.Staal), 3:07. 3, Pittsburgh, Malkin 8 (Kennedy, Cooke), 8:15. 4, Carolina, Jokinen 7 (Walker, Brind'Amour), 8:40. 5, Carolina, Seidenberg 1, 12:10.

Second Period—6, Pittsburgh, Talbot 3 (Malkin, Crosby), 3:11. 7, Pittsburgh, Kunitz 1 (Guerin, Eaton), 19:52.

Third Period—8, Carolina, Eaves 1 (Bayda, Dwyer), 2:35. 9, Pittsburgh, Malkin 9 (Kunitz, Cooke), 8:50. 10, Pittsburgh, Malkin 10, 12:25. 11, Pittsburgh, Kennedy 3 (J.Staal, Cooke), 18:11 (en).

Shots on Goal—Carolina 14-6-8—28. Pittsburgh 12-16-14—42. Power-play opportunities—Carolina 0 of 3; Pittsburgh 0 of 4. Goalies—Carolina, Ward 8-8-0 (41 shots-35 saves). Pittsburgh, Fleury 10-5-0 (28-24).

A—17,132 (16,940). T—2:42.

CONFERENCE FINALS

(Best-of-7; x-if necessary; Hawai'i times)

EASTERN CONFERENCE

Carolina vs. Pittsburgh

Pittsburgh leads series 2-0

May 18: Pittsburgh 3, Carolina 2

Yesterday: Pittsburgh 7, Carolina 4

Tomorrow: Pittsburgh at Carolina, 1:30 p.m.

May 26: Pittsburgh at Carolina, 1:30 p.m.

x-May 29: Carolina at Pittsburgh, 1:30 p.m.

x-May 31: Pittsburgh at Carolina, 1:30 p.m.

June 2: Carolina at Pittsburgh, 1:30 p.m.

WESTERN CONFERENCE

Chicago vs. Detroit

Detroit leads series 2-0

May 17: Detroit 5, Chicago 2

May 19: Detroit 3, Chicago 2, OT

Today: Detroit at Chicago, 2 p.m.

Sunday: Detroit at Chicago, 9 a.m.

x-May 27: Chicago at Detroit, 1:30 p.m.

x-May 30: Detroit at Chicago, 2 p.m.

x-June 1: Chicago at Detroit, 1:30 p.m.

STANLEY CUP FINALS

TBD