PITTSBURGH -- In a game that was decided by power-play goals, the Carolina Hurricanes got all they needed in the first period.

Center Jordan Staal and defenseman John-Micheal Liles scored with a man-advantage Saturday as the Hurricanes halted a two-game losing streak with a 2-1 victory over the reeling Pittsburgh Penguins, who have lost five games in a row with a combined six goals in those games.

Center Evgeni Malkin scored a power-play goal for Pittsburgh, which is 0-4-0 since coach Mike Sullivan took over for Mike Johnston last weekend.

"We won the specialty team battle by one, and it's a one-goal game," Carolina coach Bill Peters said. "That is the importance of the specialty teams in the modern era."

Pittsburgh goaltender Matt Murray, 21, made 24 saves in his NHL debut.

Carolina goaltender Cam Ward made 37 saves and improved to 15-7-3 against Pittsburgh.

"I made a couple of good saves early that got me into the game," Ward said. "I don't really care what anybody says about the Penguins; they've got a really good team over there, some high-end skill, and you really have to be on your toes. Fortunately, tonight I felt really comfortable."

Staal got his first goal in nine career games against his original club at 4:57 of the first period. Off the rush on a power play, he moved in and chipped the puck in off Murray's right arm from close range for a 1-0 lead.

"It would have been better against (No. 1 Pittsburgh goalie Marc-Andre Fleury), but, obviously, I'll take it against the Penguins," Staal said.

That gave Staal points in four of his past five games. Defenseman Justin Faulk picked up his 100th career assist.

On the second of three Hurricanes power plays in the first period, Liles blasted a slap shot from the center point through traffic and past Murray's glove for his first goal of the season and a 2-0 lead at 14:56.

"Both of those were tough goals," said Murray, a Penguins third-round draft pick in 2012 who has 16 shutouts in 58 American Hockey League games.

"I'd probably like the first one back. I probably could have been a little bit more aggressive on (Staal). The second one was tough. It was through a screen and it took a slight deflection, which kind of threw me off. I was proud of how I was able to bounce back after letting in two goals in the first period. I kept my composure and played well the rest of the game."

Sullivan said he thought his team should not have put Murray in that position in the first place.

"We took too many penalties in the first period," he said. "We're killing six of the 20 minutes. That's a fair amount of time to take our guys out of the game, out of the flow."

Pittsburgh got its first turn on a power play 1:13 into the second period when center Eric Staal held left winger Chris Kunitz. Malkin converted with his team-leading 15th goal with a shot from the top of the left circle while right winger Patric Hornqvist obstructed Ward's view at 1:59 to pull the Penguins within 2-1.

Pittsburgh was 0 of 19 with a man-advantage in its previous seven games, but was facing the league's worst road penalty kill against Carolina.

"We scored a power-play goal, but it's just one goal," Malkin said. "We need to score maybe a couple of goals five-on-five. We played better, but it's a tough loss.

"I don't know what's going on. I see we play better. We talk on the bench. We're pretty together. We're tight. It's a tough loss again, but (we're keeping our) heads up. Looking forward. We have one game before the (Christmas) break. It's two points. We need to win. Just win."

NOTES: Pittsburgh returned RW Daniel Sprong to his junior club, Charlottesville of the QMJHL. Sprong, 18 and a second-round draft pick in June, had two goals in 18 games but was often out of the lineup and lightly used when he did play. Coach Mike Sullivan said the move was to get Sprong playing time. ... The Penguins recalled LW Scott Wilson, who had been tied for the American Hockey League lead with 15 goals, but he was scratched. So was D Ian Cole, for the first time this season. ... Pittsburgh RW Phil Kessel played in his 700th game. D Ben Lovejoy played in his 300th game, split exactly evenly between the Penguins and Anaheim. ... Penguins G Marc-Andre Fleury (concussion) remains out. Also out because of injuries were D Kris Letang (undisclosed) and RW Beau Bennett (undisclosed). ... Carolina coach Bill Peters said he gave Ward the start for a second night in a row because he faced only 17 shots Friday in a 2-0 loss to Florida. ... Carolina C Riley Nash played in his 200th game. ... Hurricanes injuries are F Nathan Gerbe (ankle) and D James Wisniewski (ACL). Carolina scratched LW Chris Terry and D Michal Jordan.