PENGUINS 5, RANGERS 2: Matt Cooke scored a pair of goals and Sidney Crosby had an assist in a triumphant return to the lineup as visiting Pittsburgh extended its winning streak to 10 games.

Evgeni Malkin, Chris Kunitz and Pascal Dupuis also scored goals as the Penguins whittled Eastern Conference-leading New York's lead to four points with a game in hand.

Marc-Andre Fleury turned aside 29 shots to win his eighth consecutive start and Pittsburgh improved to 24-0-2 when leading after two periods.

Crosby, rejoining the team after sitting out the past 40 games due to concussion-like symptoms, immediately provided a spark as the Penguins scored on his first shift since Dec. 5.

The 24-year-old superstar later picked up his 13th point in nine games this season when he assisted on Kunitz's goal that gave the Penguins a 4-2 lead at the 3:01 mark of the third period.

Carl Hagelin and Marian Gaborik scored goals for the Rangers, who lost for the fourth time in six games

After Cooke and Hagelin traded first-period goals, Pittsburgh stormed ahead with two goals in a 72-second span early in the second period.

Malkin beat Martin Biron for his 39th goal at the 1:19 mark before Cooke finished off a pretty passing play by redirecting Tyler Kennedy's pass into an open net.

Gaborik pulled New York within 3-2 12 minutes later, beating Fleury to the stick side for his 35th goal, but Kunitz restored the two-goal lead early in the third, taking a backhand pass from Crosby and beating Biron.

GAME NOTEBOOK: Rangers All-Star G Henrik Lundqvist sat out his second straight game with the flu and captain Ryan Callahan (foot) missed his third game in a row. ... Penguins D Kris Letang returned to the lineup after missing five games with a concussion. He had missed nearly two months earlier in the season with a concussion. ... New York's Brad Richards had two assists to give him five goals and five assists during a five-game points streak.