Malkin's Return Sparks Penguins' Big Win

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The Pittsburgh Penguins have been navigating tough times without Captain Sidney Crosby,

who got hurt at the 2026 Winter Olympics.

The team, pushing for playoffs, leaned on veteran Evgeny Malcolm, known for stepping

up big when Crosby asidelined.

But Malcolm drew a five game suspension for a slash to an opponent's face, leaving

the penguin shorthanded at a critical moment.

During Malcolm's absence, Pittsburgh held steady with a two win, one loss, two overtime

loss record.

They battled close games against teams like the Philadelphia Flyers, Carolina Hurricanes,

and Boston Bruins, dropping a big one to Vegas, but rallying.

Back in another matchup, players across the line have chipped in, especially defenseman

Eric Carlson.

He brought the offense from the blue line just as the team hoped when they acquired him,

paying chances and keeping momentum alive.

Malcolm made a strong return against the top-ranked Colorado Avalanche in Denver.

Just 48 seconds in, he took a penalty but bounced back fast, scoring a spinning backhand

goal for his first point of the night.

Minus later, he added another, tying then passing Luke Robotay for 24th on the all-time

scoring list with 1,300, 94 points.

The penguins dominated with a seven-to-two win, their biggest victory of the season for

Colorado.

It highlighted Malcolm's clutch play at age 38, and boosted Pittsburgh's confidence

heading into the tight playoff race.

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