Malkin Could Return for Game 3

It looks like there is a good chance that Evgeni Malkin will make his 2021 Stanley Cup playoff debut in Game 3 at Nassau Coliseum.

Head coach Mike Sullivan said all players who participated in the team’s full morning skate, including Malkin, are game-time decisions for tonight’s matchup with the New York Islanders.

But Malkin took part in line rushes and practiced on the first power-play unit, all positive signs that he will be in the lineup.

“Obviously he’s a huge difference-maker out there; one of the best players in the world,” defenseman John Marino said. “It’s awesome that he’s able to come back. It’ll great to have him in the room, too, just his energy. I’m sure everyone will be fired up to have him back.”

After missing 23 contests with a lower-body injury, Malkin returned to play in the last four games of the regular season, but sat out the final 8:48 of the third period in the finale for precautionary reasons after thinking he tweaked something in a collision. Sullivan said Malkin got checked out afterwards and felt fine. 

Malkin has been practicing with the team ever since, but had not taken part in line rushes or worked with the first power-play unit since Friday’s session, and missed both Game 1 on Sunday and Game 2 on Tuesday. 

He’s been working tirelessly to get back as soon as he can, and if that does happen to be tonight, Pittsburgh’s center depth will be incredibly impressive. 

“Obviously huge for our team,” forward Teddy Blueger said. “The player he is is a complete game changer, so to add that to our lineup I think could go a long way. We know how well he’s played and how much he’s done for us throughout the course of the whole season, so it’s big.”

Video: Blueger speaks to the media

The one-two punch of Sidney Crosby and Malkin alone would be a lot to handle, but factor in veteran playoff performer Jeff Carter – who’s absolutely thrived since coming to Pittsburgh at the trade deadline – and matchups will likely be a headache for New York, even with the Islanders having the last change on their home ice.

“The three-headed monster that they have when Malkin plays, at center ice, they’re pretty loaded,” Islanders head coach Barry Trotz said. “You’re going to have two Hall of Famers and one that’s pretty close up the middle.”

While Carter is a versatile forward who can also play the wing, Sullivan said their intent was always to put him at center, and they feel like he’s done a tremendous job down the middle.

“He wins faceoffs,” Sullivan said. “He’s got his size and his strength, and I think that helps us down the middle when we’re playing down low in our end. He’s good defensively. He leans on people. He’s hard. And then I think just his experience and his ability to make plays under pressure – there’s no panic in his game in any aspect, regardless of what the score is.”

The Penguins also feel fortunate to have Blueger, who’s been a steady and valuable two-way presence all season. His line with Zach Aston-Reese and Brandon Tanev has often been deployed against New York’s first line centered by young superstar Mathew Barzal. 

Blueger is technically penciled in as the fourth-line center, but that is truly in name only, as the Penguins think so highly of him and his abilities.

“Teddy’s line has had a real good series to this point,” Sullivan said. “They’re an important line for us. They help us with momentum. They’re hard to play against. They can play against anyone. They bring a physical element to our overall team game. They’ve had some offensive zone time and a number of scoring chances. They’re a big part of the penalty kill as well. So their first couple of games here, I think they’ve had strong efforts. I would anticipate they would continue to do that moving forward.”

Here is the workflow that the Penguins used…

Guentzel-Crosby-Rust 

Zucker-Malkin-Kapanen 

McCann-Carter-Gaudreau 

Aston-Reese-Blueger-Tanev 

Dumoulin-Letang 

Matheson-Ceci 

Pettersson-Marino

PP1) Letang, Crosby, Malkin, Guentzel, Rust

PP2) Marino, McCann, Carter, Kapanen, Zucker