Penguins’ Evgeni Malkin ejected for slashing Sabres’ Rasmus Dahlin
Evgeni Malkin’s night ended early, as the Pittsburgh Penguins center was ejected during Thursday’s game against the Buffalo Sabres for slashing Rasmus Dahlin.
Evgeni Malkin with an awful slash to Rasmus Dahlin's neck. Malkin gets a five minute major.
The infraction came early in the second period of the game, as the two players 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 had one shot and one giveaway in 5:54 of ice time, with the game tied 1-1 at the time of his departure.
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 lead in the game, as Josh Norris’ goal gave the team a 2-1 lead.
There is currently no word on whether or not Malkin will receive supplemental discipline for the infraction. 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.
Aside from when he missed 15 games in December and January due to an upper-body injury, Malkin has had a resurgent season for the Penguins with 13 goals and 34 assists for 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.
Malkin is in the final year of his four-year contract with a $6.1 million cap hit, and is set to become an unrestricted free agent at the end of the season. While the Penguins were not initially planning on re-signing the 39 year old, there have been recent reports they may still look to re-sign him, although Pittsburgh has certainly strung Malkin along in doing so.