LOS ANGELES -- Sidney Crosby had a goal and an assist to pass the 50-point mark for the 18th time in his NHL career, and the Pittsburgh Penguins defeated the Los Angeles Kings 5-1 at Crypto.com Arena on Monday.

The Pittsburgh Penguins defeated the Los Angeles Kings 5-1 on Monday night, the Kings' first home day since the wildfires.

The Penguins head west to face the Los Angeles Kings in a late-night showdown at Crypto.com Arena. Welcome back to NHL Predictions here on Last Word on Hockey!

Game time is 10:30 p.m. ET from Crypto.com Arena in downtown Los Angeles and you can watch it on ESPN+ (packages start at $11.99/month). Pittsburgh Penguins (19-21-8, in the Metropolitan Division) last played on Saturday night and fell to the NHL-leading Washington Capitols by a 4-1 score.

Pittsburgh will be without their top goal-scoring forward when they take on Los Angeles, who will play their first home game since the onset of the wildfires

One of my first conversations with Kevin Hayes at training camp this season was about his support for first responders.

The circumstances were particularly meaningful for Pittsburgh forward Blake Lizotte, who started his NHL career with the Kings and had 106 points (37 goals, 69 assists) in 320 games for them. This was his first game at Crypto.com Arena as a visitor, but the LAFD hat he wore after the morning skate reflected the larger circumstances.

The Los Angeles Kings honoured firefighters and first responders in the first game back in their downtown arena since the catastrophic wildfires that devastated large parts of Los Angeles.head of first puck drop.

Many of the Penguins think the spark Nedeljkovic provides on and off the ice might be just what they need to make a postseason push.

Forwards Anthony Beauvillier and Cody Glass - who have been up and down the Penguins' lineup this season - have been producing in recent top-six roles. They each have two goals and three points in the last three games, and they have been in and out of the top-six for most of the season.

While the offense needs to improve, the Kings are content with playing tight games. The team has steadied its course despite facing some turbulent moments.