Just hours after the Penguins made the biggest splash on trade deadline day by acquiring star forward Marian Hossa from Atlanta for forwards Colby Armstrong and Erik Christensen, Pittsburgh pulled out a win despite being outshot 52-20.
Frans Nielsen scored on Conklin in the second period to get the Islanders within 2-1. Trent Hunter hit the crossbar less than 2 minutes into the third, and New York dropped its second straight following a six-game winning streak.
Jordan Staal scored during a delayed-penalty call with 7:05 remaining to restore Pittsburgh's two-goal lead, and Connor James - just up from the minors - made it 4-1 with 3:02 left on his first NHL goal.
Ruslan Fedotenko's power-play goal brought the Islanders to 4-2.
Hossa and defenseman Hal Gill, acquired from Toronto, are expected to play Thursday when the Penguins visit Boston. Once captain Sidney Crosby returns from a high ankle sprain and joins Hossa on a line, the Penguins will possess one of the NHL's most potent offenses.
Until then, Malkin can continue serving up the offense.
The Islanders dominated the Penguins on the shot clock in the first period, yet were still down 2-0. New York registered a season-best 23 shots in the period and gave up six.
The Penguins grabbed the lead 10:50 in and they did it with their second shot, both coming on the same shift. Malkin got to a rebound of Petr Sykora's drive and carried the puck behind the net and out the left side.
He drifted backward into the left circle and snapped off a shot while gliding that beat Rick DiPietro. It was Malkin's 36th goal and his 13th in 18 games since Crosby was injured on Jan. 18.
Taffe doubled the lead during a 5-on-3 power play with 2:08 remaining in the first. He got to a loose puck that pinballed in the crease off Islanders forward Andy Hilbert and pushed it past DiPietro. Taffe has four goals on the season, two in three games.
New York couldn't do anything with four power plays in the first period and three more in the second. Multiple odd-man rushes produced little against Conklin on the choppy ice.
The Islanders' reunited "Kid Line" cut the deficit to 2-1 with 9:34 left in the second period. Jeff Tambellini, recalled earlier Tuesday after Chris Simon was traded to Minnesota, slid a shot from the right circle in front. Nielsen stood there with his stick on the ice and deflected the puck in for his first of the season and second in 26 career NHL games.
New York outshot Pittsburgh 11-4 in the second.
