After turning in a dominating performance in Pittsburgh, the Penguins will try to complete a home-and-home series sweep when they visit the New York Rangers for tonight's Atlantic Division battle at Madison Square Garden.

The Penguins slammed the Blueshirts, 8-3, in Saturday's game at Mellon Arena, as captain Sidney Crosby led the way with his second hat track of the season. It was the fourth win in five outings for Pittsburgh, which has 36 points and is tied with Washington for the top spot in the Eastern Conference.

Crosby added two assists to go along with his fourth career hat trick. The 22- year-old center has five goals in his last four games and leads Pittsburgh this season with 30 points (15 goals, 15 assists).

"I thought it was a little weird that everyone had the same hat on the rink," Crosby said of his hat trick, which ironically came on a cap giveaway night at the arena. "It was a fun night to do it, it's always fun to get a hat trick, but especially tonight."

Evgeni Malkin had a goal and one assist for the Penguins, who set a season- best total for goals in a game en route to winning for the sixth time in eight outings. Meanwhile, Malkin pushed his point streak to six games and has notched four goals and four assists over that span.

Mark Eaton, Pascal Dupuis, Maxime Talbot and Tyler Kennedy also scored while Marc-Andre Fleury got the win with 22 saves.

Pittsburgh has won five straight overall against the Rangers, but has lost eight in a row on the road in the series.

Marc Staal, Matt Gilroy and Michal Rozsival tallied in Saturday's loss for the Rangers, who slid to their fourth setback in six games.

"It's mildly confusing because for stretches of minutes we are dominating down low and then for stretches the tables are turned," Rangers' forward Sean Avery said. "So I'm kind of confused."

Stephen Valiquette was left in for all eight goals on 33 shots in the loss, the second-most scores he's surrendered in his pro career. The Rangers will go back to No. 1 netminder Henrik Lundqvist tonight.

The Penguins could get defenseman Jay McKee back tonight after he missed the last six games with an infected finger. If McKee is able to go tonight that will leave Pittsburgh with just winger Chris Kunitz on injured reserve. Pittsburgh defensemen Alex Goligoski and Kris Letang and right winger Tyler Kennedy all returned Saturday from absences due to injury.

Rangers defenseman Wade Redden has missed the last two games with a shoulder injury and is expected to sit out tonight as well. He could return when New York plays its next game Saturday in Buffalo.

New York is 7-5-0 as the host this season, while the Penguins have a 9-5-0 road mark.