Penguins’ Evgeni Malkin receives hearing for slashing Sabres’ Rasmus Dahlin
Evgeni Malkin is set to receive some discipline, as the NHL Department of Player Safety announced that the Pittsburgh Penguins center will receive a hearing for slashing Rasmus Dahlin during Thursday’s 5-1 loss to the Buffalo Sabres.
Pittsburgh’s Evgeni Malkin will have a hearing today for slashing Buffalo’s Rasmus Dahlin.
The infraction came early in the second period of the game when Malkin and Dahlin were engaging each other by the net in the Sabres’ defensive zone. While innocent at first, tensions rose when Malkin took a two-handed swing with his stick to the side of Dahlin’s head and then grabbed at his head. When Dahlin pushed Malkin off, the Russian attempted to drop the globes and start a fight, but the Sabres defenseman was not interested, and officials stepped in to stop the shenanigans.
Malkin received a two-minute minor penalty for cross-checking, a five-minute major penalty for slashing and a 10-minute game misconduct penalty on the infraction. Dahlin also got a two-minute penalty for cross-checking, offsetting the two minors, but the Sabres still had a five-minute power play. The Sabres used the power play to get the eventual game-winner, as Josh Norris’ goal gave the team a 2-1 lead.
Malkin will only receive a phone hearing, meaning his suspension can’t exceed five games. He has been suspended twice in his career and fined four times, including another fine earlier this season for slashing Winnipeg Jets defenseman Logan Stanley. Considering how many of Malkin’s fines are stick-related infractions, Malkin may be in danger of a tougher punishment.
Aside from when he missed 15 games in December and January due to an upper-body injury, Malkin has had a resurgent season with 13 goals, 34 assists and 47 points in 46 games. If Malkin continues to produce at this pace, it will be the 16th season of his career that has seen him produce at above a point-per-game pace.
The Penguins currently sit in second in the Metropolitan Division with a 31-17-13 record. They’ll look to bounce back from back-to-back losses, possibly without Malkin, when they host the Philadelphia Flyers on Saturday at 5:30 p.m. ET.