Kasperi Kapanen's hat trick propels Penguins past Blues

Kasperi Kapanen notched his second career hat trick to help the Pittsburgh Penguins top the visiting St. Louis Blues 6-2 on Saturday.

Bryan Rust added a goal and three assists, Jason Zucker a goal and two assists, Sidney Crosby a goal and Evgeni Malkin three assists for the Penguins, who have points in 11 of 13 games (9-2-2).

Pittsburgh goaltender Tristan Jarry made 26 saves.

Pavel Buchnevich and Vladimir Tarasenko scored and Colton Parayko had two assists for the Blues, who have lost three straight and five of six.

St. Louis goaltender Jordan Binnington gave up four goals on 17 shots before being pulled. Thomas Greiss relieved and made 19 saves.

Kapanen -- who scored the deciding goal in the Penguins' previous game after struggling and being a healthy scratch recently -- opened the scoring at 6:58 of the first period, two seconds after a power play expired.

P.O Joseph's pass from the right point went off the skate of Kapanen, stationed near the far post, then off the back of Binnington's pads and in.

At 11:59 of the first, Rust increased the lead to 2-0 with a far-side shot from above the left hash marks after St. Louis defenseman Calle Rosen's stick got tangled with Binnington's, leaving the goalie without his stick.

Buchnevich cut it to 2-1 at 12:47 of the first. Nick Leddy got a pass through from the left point to Buchnevich in the opposite circle for a one-timer.

Kapanen struck again at 16:55 of the first on a power play when he converted a feed from Malkin to make it 3-1.

At 1:51 of the second, Zucker put a wrist shot under Binnington's glove to increase it to 4-1.

Binnington got pulled and received a 10-minute misconduct when he went out of his way to bark at the Penguins' bench.

Tarasenko cut it to 4-2 at 8:22 of the second with a shot off Jarry's left pad.

On a power play at 10:20 of the second, Kapanen completed his hat trick when he tipped in a shot by Rust to make it 5-2.

Crosby scored an empty-netter with 4:48 left.

--Field Level Media

1/3: Dec 3, 2022; Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, USA; St. Louis Blues right wing William Bitten (42) warms up before the game against the Pittsburgh Penguins at PPG Paints Arena. Mandatory Credit: Charles LeClaire-USA TODAY Sports

2/3: Dec 3, 2022; Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, USA; St. Louis Blues right wing William Bitten (42) takes the ice before the game against the Pittsburgh Penguins at PPG Paints Arena. Mandatory Credit: Charles LeClaire-USA TODAY Sports

3/3: Dec 3, 2022; Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, USA; St. Louis Blues left wing Josh Leivo (17) takes the ice before the game against the Pittsburgh Penguins at PPG Paints Arena. Mandatory Credit: Charles LeClaire-USA TODAY Sports