The Pittsburgh Penguins are getting close to matching the NHL record for road victories to start a season. Extending their run away from home could be difficult as they get set to face the league’s leading scorer in Los Angeles. The Penguins look to open 8-0 on the road when they meet Anze Kopitar and the Kings on Thursday night.

Pittsburgh (12-3-0) began a four-game trip with a 4-3 victory over Anaheim on Tuesday, pulling within three wins of tying the league record set in 2006-07 by Buffalo, which opened with 10 consecutive road victories. The Pens are 22-8 after a day of rest.

Marc-Andre Fleury made 26 saves for the Penguins, who have the most points in the Eastern Conference and are 2-1-0 playing without injured superstar Evgeni Malkin. “The way we’ve gotten them hasn’t been perfect,” coach Dan Bylsma said. “But we battle and block shots, and our goalie makes a big save. It hasn’t been as pretty as some might like, but we keep working hard.”

Pascal Dupuis, Michael Rupp, Kris Letang and Alex Goligoski all scored for the Penguins, who won in California for just the second time since January 1999 with two goals in the third period. Pittsburgh is 7-2 off a win.

Pittsburgh also continues to play without injured regulars Sergei Gonchar and Max Talbot.

“We’re just trying to do our best, and we’re adjusting to new things,” center Sidney Crosby said. “I think that it’s difficult when you lose two guys (Malkin and Gonchar) like we’ve lost. We’ve just got to adjust and find ways to be successful.”

Malkin led the league in points last season and Crosby finished third, but it’s Kopitar who is setting the early pace in 2009-10 with 24. Kopitar had a goal and an assist Monday as Los Angeles scored the final four goals in a 5-3 victory at Phoenix.

Ryan Smyth scored twice and had two assists while defenseman Drew Doughty recorded the go-ahead goal with 4:51 remaining for the Kings, who trailed 3-1 entering the final minute of the second period.

“I thought we had a little lull there in the second,” Smyth said. “We took the lead but we built some character in this locker room tonight going into the third and I think that was a big step.” The Kings are 17-2 ATS after a game where eight or more total goals were scored over the last two seasons.

Los Angeles (9-4-2, 9-6 SU) has lost three straight to Pittsburgh since winning five in a row in the series Feb. 27, 2002-Oct. 10, 2003. Crosby had a goal and an assist in a 4-1 victory March 20 in the lone meeting last season to bring his point total to five in two games versus Los Angeles.

Fleury is 2-1-0 with a 1.98 goals-against average in three starts against the Kings. He has a 3.44 GAA in his six road starts this season.

Bookmaker.com has Los Angeles as -123 money line favorites, with total Un6. The Kings are 12-5 after scoring five or more goals, while Pittsburgh is 6-1 if their opponent lit the lamp five or more times.

Special teams always matter in the NHL and L.A. converts 23.1 percent (10th) of power play chances, while Pittsburgh is ninth in penalties kills at 82.5 percent. The Kings are among the poorest down a man in the ice (27th), thwarting the opposition 74.1 percent of the time. That might not be as big a problem as it sounds since the Penguins are pedestrian 22nd in the league at 16.2 conversion rate.

Four of the last five meetings have gone OVER between these clubs when in the West Coast, however consider this system. Play UNDER on road teams where the total is six or more, off a road win scoring four or more goals, with a winning record on the season, playing another winning team in the first half of the season. (39-13, L13Y)

This contest can be seen in both local markets starting at 10:30 Eastern.

StatFox Power Line – Pittsburgh -116 and Under

SANTOSH VENKATARAMAN, STATS Senior Writer contributed to this article.