One of the major mysteries of the Penguins' playoff run has been solved.

Evgeni Malkin's performance level declined late in the postseason, at least in part, because he had a flu-like ailment that made it difficult for him to keep food down early in the Stanley Cup final against Detroit.

He also is believed to have been bothered by the effects from a crushing check he got from Philadelphia center Mike Richards in Game 1 of the Eastern Conference final.

Malkin had 17 points in the Penguins' first 10 playoff games, but only two over the next eight before closing out the Cup final with a goal and two assists in the final two.