updated 11:31 p.m. ET Oct. 19, 2006

UNIONDALE, N.Y. - It took Sidney Crosby less than two games to figure out where to find new Pittsburgh Penguins phenom Evgeni Malkin.

Crosby broke out of a mini-slump Thursday night with three assists, and defenseman Sergei Gonchar scored Pittsburgh’s third power-play goal 3:33 into overtime to lift the Penguins to a 4-3 victory over the New York Islanders on Thursday night.

Trailing 3-2 in the third period, Pittsburgh used the tandem of Crosby to Malkin to get even and set the stage for Gonchar.

Crosby dug the puck out from behind the net and found Malkin with a pass near the right post. Malkin wasted no time in knocking a shot past surprised goalie Mike Dunham to tie it at 8:08 of the third period.

That gave Malkin two goals in two NHL games in two nights.

“I just went low on the forecheck, and he went to the net,” Crosby said. “As soon as I turned around, he was there.”

Islanders captain Alexei Yashin was enjoying a three-point night, but was in the penalty box for hooking Crosby when Gonchar took a pass from Ryan Whitney and ripped a shot in off the right post.

Yashin was icing his hand in the box after Crosby nailed him with a slash that went uncalled. The hook followed right after.

“I think for a world class player, for a guy of his caliber, he’s diving every time someone touches him,” Islanders coach Ted Nolan said. “No question in my mind, he should have been called for a slash before Yashin had a chance to hook him.

“I’m not saying Yashin’s wasn’t a penalty, I’m just saying there should have been a penalty before. If Yashin maybe acted like Crosby and dove, maybe he would have gotten that call.”

Pittsburgh went 3-for-8 on the power play, using the advantage to take a 2-0 lead and then to win after falling behind in the second period. The Penguins (3-3) needed to rally to snap a two-game losing streak.

Avoiding a shootout was also a plus for the Penguins, who dropped four last season to the Islanders.

“We got to overtime, and got the job done,” Whitney said. “I’m glad not to go to a shootout against them.”

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