Evgeni Malkin, Kris Letang return from injury, contribute to Penguins' cause
Kris Letang and Evgeni Malkin didn’t have a Willis Reed moment Thursday night.
They didn’t drag themselves out of the trainer’s room and immediately hit the scoresheet like the New York Knicks center did in legendary fashion in the 1970 NBA Finals.
Still, their impact on a 4-1 win over the Detroit Red Wings that clinched a playoff berth for the Pittsburgh Penguins shouldn’t be understated.
A Penguins lineup with Letang and Malkin is much more dangerous than one without.
“It’s huge,” winger Phil Kessel said. “They’re elite players in this league. You want them out there, they get our team going, like with (Sidney Crosby). It obviously helps when they’re back.”
After missing 12 of the team’s previous 15 games with an upper-body injury, Letang played his customary role as a puck-moving, top-pairing defenseman, seeing more than 25 minutes of ice time.
His ability to handle that workload allowed coach Mike Sullivan to use his other defense pairs in a more targeted fashion.
His skill in the transition game helped the Penguins avoid being stuck in their own zone as frequently as they were in a 4-1 loss to the Red Wings two days prior.
“He’s a big-time player,” goalie Matt Murray said. “The biggest thing is the way he skates. He’s able to get up and back, so he can join the rush and still be back on a turnover or whatever it may be. His skating ability helps him to pretty much do everything out there. That’s why he plays big minutes for us. He’s a big-time player.”
After missing eight games with a rib injury, Malkin took his usual spot in the middle of the second line with Kessel and Bryan Rust on his wings. He played almost 19 minutes, winning an offensive-zone faceoff to set up Kessel for a second-period goal.
His impact might have been felt most on the power play. The Penguins were 2 for 18 while he was out. They were 2 for 4 Thursday night.
His presence as a one-timer threat in the right faceoff circle changes the way penalty kills must defend the Penguins.
“Both guys, they’re dominant players. It just changes the whole dynamic of our team,” Sullivan said. “The power play was big tonight. They get two power-play goals. Both of those guys are a big part of it. Our power play is a different power play when those guys are in the lineup.
“The impact they have, I think it’s felt through every aspect of our game, not just the power play. It puts players in positions where they’re cast in the role that they should be cast in, where they’re in somewhat of a comfort zone. It’s just a significant impact that they have.”
Jonathan Bombulie is the TribLive assistant sports editor. A Greensburg native, he was a hockey reporter for two decades, covering the Wilkes-Barre/Scranton Penguins for 17 seasons before joining the Trib in 2015 and covering the Penguins for four seasons, including Stanley Cup championships in 2016-17. He can be reached at jbombulie@triblive.com.
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