ATLANTA -- Penguins center Evgeni Malkin is having a strong rookie season. Probably the best of any first-year player in the NHL.

But there is a difference between being good -- or even very good -- and being as good as you can, which is a point coach Michel Therrien tried to make during his first one-on-one meeting with Malkin yesterday.

Now, it isn't clear just how much of his message got through -- even Therrien chuckled at the notion of a coach whose English occasionally is fractured trying to make a point to a Russian who speaks virtually no English -- but Therrien made it clear during a post-practice interview that he believes Malkin can elevate his performance.

"It's not that we're not satisfied with Evgeni," he said. "We're satisfied. But I want him to upgrade his game."

He suggested that he wants Malkin to consistently perform at, or at least near, the level Sidney Crosby routinely reaches.

He noted that Malkin, who scored a goal in each of his first six NHL games and raised his game again when Crosby missed three games because of a groin injury, has demonstrated how much of an impact he's able to have.

"There's no doubt he's set the bar," Therrien said. "He's proved that he's capable of being a dominant player in the league."

Even so, he believes that Malkin, who led all rookies with 25 points before last night's games, has been deferring to Crosby since the latter returned to the lineup.

"The feeling I have [from Malkin] right now is, 'Sid is there, so, Go ahead, Sid. I'm behind,' " Therrien said. "No. I want him to be beside Sid. ... I don't want him behind. I want him side by side.

"He has to understand that he's one of those special players. He's got the skill, the ability to become a bright superstar. ... I want him to be a dominant player in this league."

Addressing shootout woes

The Penguins, 1-8 in shootouts since the concept was introduced last season and 0-2 this season, wrapped up the workout at Philips Arena yesterday with a breakaway competition.

Right winger Colby Armstrong won it by defeating Chris Thorburn in the final round. And even though Armstrong contended that "I just got lucky," he showed some moves -- and a finishing touch -- that might make Therrien consider adding him to his top-three shooters the next time the Penguins have a game stretch past overtime.

Considering how some of his teammates have fared, Armstrong might merit consideration simply for being able to get the puck on goal.

"I won one shootout in a practice," Armstrong said. "I don't know if it means that much. But if he needs me to shoot, obviously I'm going to shoot and do my best to try to score."

An aborted takeoff

The Penguins' miseries Thursday night didn't end when they failed to protect a two-goal lead in the third period and lost to the New York Rangers, 3-2, in a shootout at Madison Square Garden.

A couple of hours later, as their charter flight to Atlanta was moving down a LaGuardia Airport runway at high speed, the pilot aborted the takeoff because a sensor light in the cockpit indicated a door somewhere on the aircraft had not been closed.

Crosby said he wasn't particularly concerned because he was seated next to goalie Marc-Andre Fleury, who he described as "probably the best guy to be seated beside, because he's so funny."

But even Fleury acknowledged being concerned "for a few seconds" when the pilot terminated the takeoff because "we were starting to take off, the nose was starting to lift, and it was really windy, too."

Slap shots

Defenseman Rob Scuderi, who missed the game against the Rangers because of illness, told team officials he is feeling better, but still had to abandon his plan to join his teammates here. He hopes to meet up with them tomorrow in Washington. ... Therrien gave the Penguins a 9.5 on a scale of 10 for their effort Thursday in New York "because I don't like to give a 10." ... Penguins winger Ronald Petrovicky, an ex-Thrasher, said he doesn't believe Therrien and his assistants will need his help to prepare for Atlanta, because "I'm sure they're smart enough to find out how [the Thrashers] play, what kind of systems they play. But, if they have any questions, I'll be more than happy to help out." ... Atlanta is 9-2-4 when being outshot by its opponents, but only 8-6 when outshooting them. ... A bad omen for the Penguins: The Thrashers are 7-2 on Saturdays this season