Malkin to sit tonight, aching to get his game healthy again
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Evgeni Malkin, tripped up by the stick of the Canadiens' Tom Pyatt in a game earlier this year, will miss the Penguins first game after the all-star break tonight at Madison Square Garden because of continuing sinus problems.
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Evgeni Malkin is an NHL scoring champion and playoff MVP.
And for an hour or so during the practice at Consol Energy Center Monday afternoon, he was one of the most gifted fourth-line centers in hockey history.
But Malkin won't be filling that role -- or any other -- when the Penguins face the New York Rangers at 7:38 p.m. today at Madison Square Garden, because coach Dan Bylsma has ruled him out of the game.
The reason, Bylsma said, is the lingering effects of a sinus infection Malkin has been battling of late.
"He's not ready to go," Bylsma said.
- Matchup: Penguins at New York Rangers, 7:38 p.m. today, Madison Square Garden.
- TV/Radio: Versus, WXDX-FM (105.9).
- Penguins: Went 5-1 in final six games before all-star break. ... Have not allowed power-play goal in past six games, going 22 for 22 on penalty-kill. ... Are outscoring opponents, 55-36, in second period.
- Rangers: Are 12-11-2 at home, including 3-1 loss to Penguins Nov. 29. ... C Chris Drury does not have goal in 21 games this season. ... Have better record when being outshot (15-7-1) than outshooting opponents (14-11-2).
- Hidden stat: Rangers have gotten winning goals from league-high 17 players this season.
It was that sinus problem, not a recurring issue with his left knee, that apparently prevented him from playing in the final three games before the NHL all-star break.
Malkin was to accompany his teammates to New York Monday night, and is scheduled to skate there today. Whether he'll be in the lineup when the New York Islanders visit Consol Energy Center Wednesday night isn't known, and probably hasn't been determined yet.
That Malkin is being held out of the Rangers game isn't a surprise; that it was announced he would sit no more than 15 minutes after Malkin said a decision would be made after he skated today was.
Indeed, Malkin had sounded relatively optimistic about his chances of rejoining the lineup tonight after making it through practice with no significant problems.
"I can't say whether I'll play or not," he said. "I think I'm ready, but we'll see [today] how my head feels."
While there seems to be some question about just how his head will feel today, it looks to be a given that his knee will be a non-issue.
That has been the case for a while, according to Malkin.
"The knee feels all right," he said. "I had a little bit of pain before, but now it feels all right."
If it was giving him trouble during Monday's workout, it didn't show. Malkin showed no overt signs of struggle or distress, and his skating stride and shot velocity looked reasonably powerful.
First Published February 1, 2011 12:00 am
