No Crosby, but Ducks still lose

Sidney Crosby’s absence gave Matt Cooke a chance to show off his scoring skills.

With Pittsburgh playing without Crosby for the first time this season, Cooke scored twice in a 43-second span in the Penguins’ 3-1 victory over the Ducks on Friday night.

Normally a third-line grinder/agitator, Cooke was put on the top line alongside Crosby and NHL scoring leader Evgeni Malkin three games ago.

Crosby was injured -- apparently his left knee -- in a 6-3 loss to Washington on Wednesday night, so Cooke and Petr Sykora skated on Malkin’s wings Friday.

“To be counted on offensively is a real treat for me,” Cooke said. “I was an offensive player in juniors.”

Hal Gill also scored, and Malkin had two assists for the Penguins, who had lost eight of their previous 10.

Ryan Getzlaf had the lone goal for the Ducks, who have lost four of five.

“We’ve got to be ready from the start of the game, and I don’t think we were today,” Ducks forward Samuel Pahlsson said.

The Ducks aren’t without their own injury issues, down four regulars themselves -- including star Teemu Selanne. Getzlaf scored on the power play 14:38 into the second off a rush into the zone by Scott Niedermayer and a pretty cross-slot setup by rookie Bobby Ryan.

But the Ducks managed only 21 other shots -- a mere 13 after the first intermission -- on Marc-Andre Fleury, and failed in each of their other three power plays.

The Ducks were playing the first of five consecutive games on the road, where they have won only two of their last 10.

“It’s a big road trip for us, we know the importance of it, and tonight not to come out with any points is disappointing,” veteran defenseman Bret Hedican said.

“Right now we’re just a step slow. We’re not making things happen.”